Never stop dreaming
by Miti-sweets
Summary: Hiccup left Berk for good and soon finds not only someone long lost but also himself in the claws of the enemy, stuck in a game of pretending. Five years later Astrid and her father go on a trading journey, end up in Drago Bludfist's town, and Leif Hofferson manages to set up an arranged marriage with Drago's son for his daughter. Please leave constructive criticism, not hate :)
1. Prologue: Gamble with Consequences

"Well, Hofferson, I do hope the next round will go better for you, or else I'm afraid I'll have to take your whole ship. The haired man said with a low chuckle. His black eyes glimmered dangerously. Leif Hofferson took a huge gulp of his ale and began mixing the cards again. "Don't act like you'd be oh-so-sorry, Drago. I have a feeling I'm going to win this round."  
"You have to. It's either winning or your ship, and thus your trading business, will be in my posession." Drago smirked, already knowing that his round wouldn't differ from the previous ten. The Hofferson patriarch was too intoxicated to play properly and it also seemed that he didn't fully grasp the rules of the game. It was easy gambling for Drago.  
Leif gave him the cards and he passed each of them a stack of ten random cards. They played for a few minutes; Drago pretenting half of the time to have an unfortunate hand and played cards in Leif's favor. It was all just a farce, of course. So when Leif deemed it safe to throw the one card Drago had hoped for, he was quick to end the game. "You, my friend, just made me rather wealthy." He grinned and let his cards fall open on the table. All kings, three maidens, one pair of soldiers, and the dragon. Leif Hofferson gaped and let his cards slip. "You-You BASTARD!" He sent the table flying to the side, creating a mess of splinters, cards and spilled beverages in the middle of the tavern. "You are a bloody cheater! Not one penny you'll get from me!"  
Drago stood from his chair and smoothed down his gold embroidered tunic with his right hand; careful to hide his missing limb. "I, by no means, have ever cheated on you, my friend. It just seems I have the gods on my side." His voice was calm, soothing even. "As for my well won price, I'm sure we'll find a fitting agreement."  
Leif's head was bright red from anger and he was panting. He reminded Drago of a juvenile Monsterous Nightmare, filled with rage, nostrils smoking, and too impulsive to think instead of let its rage work its body.  
"Not one penny." Hofferson gritted through his teeth and raised a balled fist. "I have no way of even going home without my ship, let alone fend for my daughter."  
Drago paced around the mess between them and laid his hand on Leif's shoulder. "Ah, your daughter. Astrid, you said, wasn't it? Divine beauty."  
"And divine she certainly is." It slipped the Hofferson's mouth.  
A chuckle of victory escaped from Drago's own. "Unmarried, you said, she is. You probably won't give her hand just to anyone, as the good father you are, my friend."  
"She'll tell me if a lad seems worthy for her. None did so far."  
Drago paced another round. "You know, Hofferson, my son is very picky with his gals, as well. I wonder wheather your Astrid would suit him right."  
Leif's eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed in his scowl. "What are you suggesting, friend?" He practically spat the last word.  
"I am suggesting," Drago said, "that you can keep your ship, and all the goods on board. And in return, I'll get your daughters hand in marriage for my boy." He extended his hand, making the offer clear. A deal. A deal that would save the man quite a few troubles. "Everything you lost gambling with me tonight will be yours again in exchange for your Astrid."  
The Hofferson seemed torn between his wealth and his daughter for a moment, but then his face set and a decicion was made. He took Drago's offered hand. "Deal.

* * *

 **Okay, so this was the very fist, very short chapter of my fist fanfiction I'm comfortable publishing here. Please share your thoughts and opinions with me and the Gramar-Nazis are also very welcome here if you're nice. I'm trying to improve my writing so I'm really rather open to any construcive criticism. :)**


	2. Act I: Of quarrels and drunks

Hiccup strode through the many streets of the city he'd been calling home for about four years now. The houses were more and higher than he'd been used to at first The pavement partially made of cobblestones instead of muddy, raw earth felt secure underneath his feet. The city was mostly asleep at this ungodly hour of night exxcept for the few drunk morons making their way home or to some whores bed after a night of drinking and games of luck. But Hiccup himself was on his way to one of the many taverns of the city. He wasn't looking for getting drunk or a lightly dressed girl that had been touched by too many filthy hands already. No, he had just arrived back from another secret flight with his dragon companion and had to report back to his stepfather. He almost gagged at that thought. Drago might bear that title, but Hiccup saw him as nothing more than yet another authority that tried to keep him grounded. Drago couldn't know of Toothless or he'd kill the dragon on an instant. As far as Drago knew, Hiccup had been out in the outskirts of the town with the village's local blacksmith, getting a new sword or some other fancy weapon while also making sure the village was running to Drago's liking. It wasn't excactly a lie; he had been there and traded a few old blades for the new sword that hung on his belt. But after that he'd gone flying. It was the only occupation to keep his sanity.

It was only another few minutes to walk to his stepfathers favourite tavern. His mother had told him Drago expected him to meet up there when he arrived back home. He braced himself for the speech he was undoublty going to hear. 'Did you find a girl of your liking, Hiccup?' 'Found a bride yet, boy?' 'You have to take responsibility and start a family soon.' It was the same thing over and over again for almost a year now. Why Drago was so eager to have him married off was an enigma Hiccup failed to solve. And how his stepfather failed to comprehend that that wasn't what Hiccup wanted yet, was a whole other question. It seemed every father figure, or wanna be, in his life wanted him to be something he wasn't. Be a good viking. Be a decent blacksmith. Be a proper groom. Scew it all, was what he always thought. Except maybe with the blacksmithing; that did come in handy in Hiccups opinion, and he made sure his crafting skills never tired down.

He turned around a corner and the common noise from the tavern's perimeter reached his ears. The brawling of drunk men was a sound he'd grown accustomed to over the years. But beneath all the usual yelling and laughing lay something he didn't hear often in this town, where everyone was at least somewhat eager not to fall in disgrace with Drago, the man owning each and every building of this town. Drago, ironically, hated assaults of women who weren't whores of the brothel . And if a girl said no you better back off if you want to keep your balls attached to your crotch.

"I told you swines to leave me alone!" a female voice shrieked frustrated. Hiccup curiously crept nearer and the laughter of quite a few men reached him. The sound made him sick. "Oh, come on, lassy. I know you want some good cock. Betcha never had anything else that your fingers and your imagination. And I promise we won't disappoint you." Another round of laughter filled the air. Hiccup heard the shoving of bodies and stubling. When he rounded the next corner he could see the full scene playing out right in front of him.

The girl was with her back to him and forcefully tried to keep the men off her; but there were too many. Looking more closely, Hiccup recognized the men as Basil and his flock of brainless outlaws. Of course they would defy Drago's unwritten rules happily.

The girl kicked out and the man in front of her was sent flying into his friends. She must have fighting experience to make such moves, Hiccup concluded. Something about the way she held herself reminded him of someone…

Hiccup was dragged out of his thoughts when the girl spoke up again. "If you don't let me go I'll castrate each and every one of you!" He didn't doubt her for a second, but Basil was too obnoxious and laughed with his head thrown back. "Have you ever heard something so funny out of the mouth of a woman?" He asked his friends, switching from norse to english, the language mostly spoken in this land.

Basil's men laughed with him and advanced once more on the girl, backing her against a housewall. She was trapped.

That was the point Hiccup decided to step in; against his better knowledge of not messing with someone else's business, especially if it was Basil and his men.

"Hey, Basil!" , he shouted, striding forward with a hand on the hilt of his sword. "I think the girl made it clear to you not to mess with her!" All heads turned towards him, the face of the girl hidden under the hood of her cloak, but he catched glimpses of fair hair on her shoulder.

Basil cackleed and answered, still in english, which was perfectly fine for Hiccup. "Oh look at that; Drago's boy wants to play with the grown-ups." Again his men howled at the stupid joke Basil had made. Hiccup rolled his eyes. It was always the same with that dimwit. "Look, I know you all want to have your fun tonight, but you do realize that Drago is just around the corner, right? If he hears what you are doing out here he'll be infurated." He spoke matter of factly and with a light tone to his words. It distracted the group long enough for the girl to wiggle something free from her back. The blade reflected the moonlight for just a moment, but it was enough to get Basil's attention back on her. In norse, the language the girl must be speaking then, he barked, "Put that knife away, girl. You'll only hurt yourself-" He was cut short when the girl's arm shot forward and brought the knife to Basil's throat. "Leave. Me. Alone." She growled.

Some of the men also raised their weapons and attempted to stabb the girl, but Hiccup was faster. With one swift movement he had unarmed two men, who didn't see him coming, and sent a third stumbling over his feet. Basil still made an effort to take advantage of the girl, but soon enough found two blades pointed at him; one daring to slice his throat, the other under his rib-cage on a straight line with his heart.

"She told you to leave her alone, didn't she?" He forced out between gritted teeth. He may not be a warrior or viking, but over the past years he definitely had picked up a good amount of skill in swordplay. Oh, if only his father could see that he'd at least gotten good at SOMEthing viking-like.

Basil was panting from either embarrassment or adrenaline, Hiccup couldn't tell. After a few moments of looking back and forth between the girl and Hiccup, he finally backed off.

"I won't forget this, Bludfist." He addressed Hiccup wih Drago's name, the one everyone assumed he also bore being Drago's stepson. "That's the last time you've messed up my night."

Hiccup snorted. "I'll try not to be too scared of your revenge."

Basil collected his friends. "Here's nothing for us to get. The prince likes to play king tonight. Let him have his fun." Within seconds they were gone and left for another prey to harass.


	3. I look at you and see the past

The girl muttered something under her breath and Hiccup was fairly certain he heard something about 'mud-dragged pricks of swines' and a few other colorful names for Basil and his companions. She had her back to him and tugged at her clothing; staightening the skirt of her dress and pulling the hood back in position. Something about her voice seemed familiar, now that he got to think about it, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He sheathed his sword again. "Sorry about them." He said. She stilled for a moment, then went on fixing her appearance. "Basil just doesn't care if he's overstepping boundaries."

The girl turned somewhat to him and Hiccup could see the faint outline of her nose and chin in the moonlight. "Thank you for reminding those pricks of them," she said, "But I wouldn't have needed your help. I'm perfectly capable of defending myself."

Hiccup chuckled. "I don't doubt that for one second, Milady. But if I'd done nothing then Drago would have me punished for not making sure his rules are being executed."

The girl moved again. She twisted her face away again and he could hear her knife being tugged away under the heavy fabric of her dress. Then she turned around completely, the silvery light of the moon illuminating her soft features. "Well, in that case-"

They both stopped short; breathing caught half taken and disbelieve showing openly on their faces, alongside with recognition. Hiccup took one involuntary step backwards and suddenly the familiarity of her voice made perfect sense. Her fluid movements weren't a surprise anylonger.

Something similar and probably entirely different must be running through her head. "H-Hiccup?" She asked warily as if she might be afraid of the answer for some reason.

He took a shuddering breath and found his voice again. "Astrid?"

She nodded and pulled the hood of her cloak back, revealing her blonde hair that was twisted in an intricate, long braid over her shoulder, her bangs swaying softly in the soft night's breeze.

"Wha- What are you doing here?" he asked bewildered. The last time he'd seen her was five years ago and she'd shouted her frustration over his victory across and about the kill ring at no one in particular while the others carried him to the Meade Hall.

And now she was standing right in front of him, a mere handfull of paces away, and looked like she'd seen a ghost, when she should be weeks of travelling by ship away at Berk.

"I could ask you the very same." She said and furrowed her brows. "You… Everyone thinks you're dead." Her words were nothing more but a whisper and at first Hiccup thought he might have misheard her, but the expression of confusion and pain he couldn't name only supported her words.

"Oh." Hiccup breathed and once he thought about it, it made sense. He'd left his home without a word left behind; not a letter, no obvious traces that he'd left freely. He had only packed a few things like his notebook, one pathetic dagger and another set of clothes. He'd left everything else, including the helmet his father had given to him so long ago. It must have looked like abduction or that he'd ventured out too far and ended up falling from a cliff or being eaten by dragons.

Astrid approached him and gaped as if still not trusting her eyes entirely. When they were only a step or two apart her expression abruptly shifted from incredulous to angry. Very, very angry. Before he even noticed her raising her arm she had already slapped him right across the face. Hiccup stepped backwards and carefully felt for his burning cheek with his fingers.

"What in the name of Thor was that for?" He asked exasperated.

Astrid was still glaring at him, her fists clenched at her sides and he could have sworn that if she'd have her axe with her at that moment she would be pinning him against the next wall with the head of the weapon, his neck trapped between the curved edges of the blades.

"Everyone thinks you are dead," she repeated but this time with a sharp tone in her voice. "and here you are, enjoying yourself in some strange land not even a month away from home."

Hiccup tried to interrupt her. "Astrid, look, I can-"

"No! You listen! Do you even have the slightest idea what grieve you caused your father, or Gobber? Do you know how worried sick everyone was until you were declared dead?"

"Well, not exactl-"

"No, you don't! You have no idea, Hiccup!" She threw her hands up, then, when she was done shouting at him, slowly let them drop to her sides again. "I thought you were dead." She looked away and took several deep breathes.

Hiccup didn't know what to answer her. He assumed she would eventually want to know what had happened, how he'd gotten here. And probably also why he never came back. But he couldn't tell her. He couldn't tell her about Toothless.

So he tried it with th halftruth. It was the best he could offer her at that moment.

"I'm sorry for the mess I left behind on Berk." She snorted in response, still looking away. "But I didn't really have any other choice."

"You've been abducted?" Astrid guessed.

"You could say so." It wasn't really a lie, Hiccup told himself, it was just a little twist on reality and events.

Astrids mouth formed a silent 'oh' and her eyes widened a little, but otherwise she showed no sign of remorse for slapping him and yelling. Hiccup knew he had deserved it; although he didn't quite believe what she'd said. For as long as he could remember he'd been an outsider on Berk. Hiccup the Useless, Hiccup the Mess-Up, Hiccup the village disappointment were the names most commonly used on him. To think that the villagers had been worried about him was impossible. To think that his father, and Gobber, grieved for him even mose so. In his mind his disappearance had always been something that had never affected Berk that much, that some were even glad he was gone. After all, years of never being accepted or wanted around could mess one's self-esteem up pretty badly.

A street or two away someone opened a door and the noise of drunk laughter filled the air, ripping him out of his self pity. It reminded him that Drago was probably still waiting for him in the tavern.

"Did you need to go somewhere?" Hiccup asked Astrid. He couldn't help being curious about what she was doing in this town and on the streets this time of the night.

Her head snapped towards him startled. "What? Oh, yeah, I was on my way to drag my father out of the pub I left him in before he can cause any trouble."

"Which one? There are many pubs around." Something told him the answer would be the same as his own destination.

"'The Burnt Man' or something." Damn his gut-feeling, Hiccup cursed mentally. Astrid looked once more warily at him. "Why? Do you plan on accompanying me?"

Hiccup rubbed his neck. "Unintentionally, but yes." Astrid raised an eyebrow. Sighing he clarified. "I'm supposed to meet up with someone there."

Astrid still didn't look entirely convinced, but she nodded and pulled her hood back over her head. "Okay, then let's go." She turned around and started walking.

Hiccup couldn't stop the smirk growing on his face. "Astrid?"

"What?"

"That's the wrong direction. 'The Burnt Man' is two streets down north, not south." He swore he could see her blushing slightly.

* * *

 **Okay, first things first: I probably won' be able to get out three chapters a week on a regular basis. It'll be more likely that I can write like two in a week since I'm still attending school. I was only able to get so much out these past few days because I had the first one and a half chapter already written before I decided to publish this story here. I also am only publishing a new chapter once I'm about halfway through the next or even already done so I'll still have something to post even when I don't have time to write. And also thanks for all the kind reviews! I love reading them :) And about Hiccup's past: That's something you'll learn alongside Astrid ;)  
**


	4. Glances at changes

Astrid didn't know what to think or believe anymore. Her world had just turned upside down and all at the hands of a certain young man walking alongside her. She never thought she'd see him ever again.

When he went missing in the first place Astrid had thought he had been afraid of killing the Nightmare, that he'd chickened out and gone hiding somewhere in the woods like he'd used to when they'd been kids. Of course Stoick, the Chief, had sent out a searching party once he'd noticed his son's lasting absence, then two, then yet another. Soon the whole village had been looking for the boy, no one thinking about the delayed graduation test for the youths any longer, but imagining the worst. Eventually they had found traces leading to a hidden cove at the far end of the island. A cove in which they'd found black scales of a dragon. I had been obvious for everyone what had happened to Hiccup. But Stoick had refused to believe his son had been eaten by a dragon at first and had continued to send out searching parties, among them Astrid and her peers, to scout every last inch of Berk. He'd hoped that maybe people Hiccup's age would be able to better estimate where the boy had gone. But it had been useless, they'd never found any other hints of Hiccup.

About two months later, Stoick had finally ended the fruitless search for his only son and had declared him dead. It had been pretty obvious to everyone that their chief had loathed the idea of it, but also couldn't continue looking for him. He'd been grieving deeply and still was in some ways.

Snotlout had been named heir, but even though he'd always wanted the title, he hadn't taken it with pride, knowing that it had been out of necessity more than anything else. Even he had been in grieve for his cousin.

And now, after nearly five years, she met her tribe's lost heir again because of some strange twist of fate. It was so surreal seeing him; Astrid still hadn't figured out how she felt about all of it. Sure, she was glad Hiccup wasn't dead after all, but it didn't make _sense_. She had so many questions she wanted to ask him but didn't know how. And she didn't fully buy the abduction he'd so poorly tried to sell her either, even though it would answer some of her questions.

He'd changed, Astrid thought then. Him walking beside her made it easy for her to steal quick glances of him from the corner of her eye. He'd used to be an awkward kid, shorter than the others and also weaker, with an odd sense of humer and absolutely no sense of responsibility. There had been a few times when Astrid had thought the chief's son had been kind of cute with his tooth gap and the big, innocent green eyes. But most of the times that thought had been replaced with frustration and annoyance almost instantly because he'd yet again managed to mess up. Hiccup Haddock couldn't have changed more.

Now he stood quite a few inches taller than Astrid. His shoulders had broadened and his stance carried a confidence she never would have expected from him. Not that she would have expected any of this at all. Once he couldn't hold a weapon steady if his life depended on it, and now she'd just seen him wield his sword with the ease af an experienced swordsman.

Another stolen glance revealed that also his face had undergone soe changes. His jawline was iron-cutting sharp, she thought in lack of better phrasing. The boyish features were gone and a handsome young man had been shaped.

Surprised by her own thoughts, Astrid quickly averted her eyes and tried thinking of something other than his matured looks or else her cheeks would heat up in flaming red. Puberty obiviously had taken kindly to her childhood friend, and Freya and Freyr had certainly helped.

They weren't far from their destination now and Astrid grew more and more curious who Hiccup could possibly be meeting up with. Right when she was about to ask, and the lights of 'The Bunt Man' appeared before them, Hiccup stopped abruptly and held her arm.

"What is it?" Astrud asked, the caution returning instantly. She quickly checked the perimeter for possible threats, but the alley was empty except for the two of them.

Hiccup let go of her arm and ran his hand through his hair, tousling his hair even more than it already had been.

"Listen, Astrid. Once we're in there we can't act like we know each other. "

Now Astrid was even more curious, and also suspicious as to who in the name of Odin he was meeting. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?"

"I'm going to meet with someone named Drago Bludfist, and-"

"Bludfist? Didn't that Basil-guy call you that?" She hadn't been able to understand the whole conversation they'd had since she didn't speak this other language commonly used around here, but once they had switched to norse she had at last known what they'd said, even though the meaning of most of ist still was a mystery to her.

Hiccup nodded hesitantly. "Ye-Yeah, he did. Most people around here think Drago and I are related…in some ways."

"But why would they think that?" Everything grew more and more confusing and Astrid was sure this was just the very peak of the iceberg she was about to explore. Who knew how much more lay underneath the visible surface.

Instead of an answer Hiccup just shook his head, dismissing the matter for another time. Or so Astrid hoped. She was contend to get answers for all her questions. "Drago can't know that we know each other for longer than five minutes." He continued. "It would give him too much room for manipulation. He'd only try to play it against us them moment he finds out. He always does."

And so the weirdness continues. "Who is this Drago to have such power over you?"

"He basically owns this city. And in some way also me. So I don't want him to have any more power over me than absolutely necessary. And he already has more than I'd like." Hiccups face darkened. In fact, since he'd started talking about Drago he had gone completely stiff and closed up. Not leaving any hints about the boy she once knew. As if this Drago could hear him talking all the way from the inside of the noisy tavern to them just by them mentioning of his name. An assumption took shape inside her head.

"He doesn't know who you are, am I right?" Hiccup's brows furrowed. "I mean, Drago doesn't know you're from Berk, right? Why else would you now want him to know we grew up together." It was more of a statement by now than a question. Hiccup had pressed his lips together and clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles were turning white. He took a deep breath before he spoke and swallowed. And if Astrid read his expressive eyes correctly, it was anger he swallowed. Long surpressed anger. Again she could only wonder just how much he'd changed.

"Drago and Berk don't go along well, Astrid. So no, he doesn't know about my heritage. And it'd be better for you to disguise yours as well if you want to stay alive in his town."

That being said Astrid could add up ten more questions to her list. She was feeling the beginnings of a fully grown headache forming at the back of her skull. How lovely. And the night wasn't even over yet by far.

"So basically we'll act like strangers from different islands, that aren't Berk, who've just met." She summarized, massaging her temple gently.

"Exactly."

She sighed. "Well, let's hope my father's either drunk enough not to recognize you or, less likely, sober enough to quickly get the plan without questioning too much."

He agreed and they continued the last few houses towards the tavern. When Hiccup reached for the door he turned to her once more. "Before I forget it. Don't be surprised when I'm not called Hiccup." Her eyebrow rose on its own accord. "Drago didn't like my name very much, so he changed it a bit."

"Changed it?" Why wasn't Astrid surprised by this at all? "To what?"

Hiccup grimaced. "Horren. Like my oh-so-fitting middle-name, just without the 'dous'. And don't ask why he chose that. I have no idea myself."

Astrid didn't stop the chuckle escaping her lips. She could have, but she didn't. Because Hiccup had just proved to her that, at the very last, he still had the same silly, dry humor from five years ago. He hadn't changed completely. Not when she looked for more than just a glance.

* * *

 **This actually was going to be a much bigger chapter, but then I would have had a change in the point of view in the middle of it, and when I transcripted it from my notebook to the file on my laptop and changed and added a few things this just seemed to be a good point to let the chapter end and instead give the rest one of its own.**

 **Which leads me to: Do you guys like shorter (around 1,5k) or longer (dunno how long THAT could get…) chapters?**

 **And also: If you find inconsistencies with the tenses, like when the past is mentioned, please do let me know so I can fix those mistakes. I'm not a native speaker, english isn't my mothertongue and I have trouble with my tenses some times. So any kind of help there would be highly appreciated.**

 **And thank you all for the kind review you have left. I read them all and they make my day. I won't be responding to each and every one per PM though because I just don't have that time on my hand at the moment. But if you have questions, put them in a review and I'll answer them at this bottom part of the chapters. Well, as far as I can anyway without giving away some of the main plot point of this story.**

 **As for the Guest reviewer(Felix): All those questions of yours are gonna be answered soon, my friend. Just be patient, but please, don't hold back your curiosity. I like those theories you obviously have in your head. Do me a favour and share them with me. It's very amusing to read those guesses. ;)**


	5. Arrangements of unwanted kind

They entered the tavern and were greeted with loud brawling, laughter and the poor play of drunk musicians. 'The Burnt Man' was crowded as always and Hiccup had to shot more than one filled up man a dark stare to keep them at least somewhat away from Astrid. She clearly wasn't comfortable with the attention she was getting from men double her age. Hern hand kept twitching for the knife hidden at her back whenever another drunk suitor approached her.

Halfway through the main room of the pub Hiccup had enough if that annoying game. He made short process of ending it by pulling Astrid close to him at her waist, giving the impression she belonged to him. It should -have earned him a black eye, but Astrid just gave him one of her death glares upon noticing no one tried make any obvious moves on her anymore. She huffed and let him lead her trough the mass of people and tables, sheltered by his body.

They reached the far end of the room where a stair case led to the second floor of the building. The more private rooms for closed groups of people were up there for conferences and secret bargains to be held. The stairs also provided a good overview of the tavern. They climbed the first few steps and Hiccup let go of her; a small, fifteen year old part of him reluctantly so.

"Seen your father yet?" He asked over the cacophony surrounding them.

Astrid shook her head no and searched the heads from their vantage point. "Is it always this crowded?"

"Only if Drago happens to be here. Those mutton heads probably all wait for their chance to fall into his favor." But will most likely fall into disgrace instead, he thought to himself.

Astrids face scrunched up in a worried frown while her eyes methodically took in each and every face in the hall. Even with furrowed brows and a slight pout on the lips she was still the most stunning young woman in midgard. And he'd seen quite enough of the world to make that claim. The tavern was lit by candle and lanterns and the flaming light illuminated her features even more ethereal than the moon had done. His breath hitched and his heart stopped for a moment before it increased its pace. Damn it all, even after five years she still had the same effect on him. And here Hiccup had been thinking that he'd overcome his hopeless crush on Astrid Hofferson, finest warrior of their generation. Oh, how wrong he'd been. Looking at her now, he was still far from cured. Hiccup quickly averted his eyes so she wouldn't catch him staring awkwardly at her. Hopefully the reddish light hid the massive blush creeping up from his neck to the roots of his hair on top of his head.

He'd been so enthralled by the girl from his past that Hiccup hadn't noticed someone from the present walking down the stairs behinde them until a big hand landed on his shoulder, followed by the hearty laugh of his friend.

"Now look at that." Eret chuckled. Hiccup turned to face the taller man with the blue tattoos on his chin with a grin of his own. Astrid, however, looked like she was ready to fight for a moment before noticing the friendly behavior the two men expressed. "Our dear Horren in company of a girl out in the public. And a really pretty one at that, too!"

Hiccup gave his friend a clap on the shoulder back in greeting. "Shut up before I got the whole place making stupid comments." He shot Astrid a quick look. She still had her hand on the hilt of her weapon. Again. Caution was obviously a quality she keept close to the heart in strange lands. Good for her. It will only benefit her in this part of the world. But Eret was one of the only souls this town had to offer that could be trusted.

"Astrid, this is-" He tried to introduce them to each other to dissolve a bit of her stress. But naturally his friend was eager to make his own little show out of it.

"Eret. Son of Eret." Eret performed a ridiculously low bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Astrid."

"Um…" Astrid let go of her weapon's handle, but the frown stayed. Or rather deepened. "Nice to meet you, too." It was more a question and she looked expectantly at Hiccup. This was going to be fun. On his expense.

"Well, say, Astrid, how did you meet gorgeous here?" And there his hope that Eret might behave for once went flying out of the window. Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose and let his head hang.

"Eret." He said with a warning growl. But the other man either didn't notice or ignored him on purpose. Most likely the latter.

"Was it his irresistible viking charm that lured you in or did he convince you with…other qualities?" He actually possessed the imprudence to wink and wiggle his eyebrows at Astrid. It earned him another strange look from her.

"Eret!" Hiccup snapped and drew his friends attention back to him, that stupid smirk still bright on his face. "Astrid is from Berk." Hiccup lowered his voice just enough for him to hear. The smirk was gone instantly.

"Now, that changes everything." Eret mumble into his non existent beard.

Astrid started. "I thought we'd keep it a secret?" Bewilderment spoke from her voice.

"Don't you worry, lass. I know everything about Hiccup's past. And that also involves his life on Berk. I knew your name sounded familiar." Eret also kept his voice just loud enough to be heard and looked around every few seconds o make sure no one who shouldn't overheard them. He'd gone from the slacknes of his banter to serious alertness, ready to strike if necessary. Throughout the years Eret had not only become a great friend to Hiccup, a person he could alyways turn to without having to worry about his loyalty to him, but also kind of a protector. He'd kept Hiccup out of trouble far more often than it was healthy, but Hiccup knew Eret always had his back. There were only so many people who did.

Astrid was rather surprised by this new piece of information given to her. "Alright. Then I'm sure you can help us find the stupid ass of my father. " Straight back to business, just how Hiccup remembered her. It had been one of the things he'd liked about her the most; her no nonsense attitude that had, admittedly, gained hme more than one bruise when they'd been kids.

He looked at Eret expectantly. "You got track of everybody in here?"

Eret nodded. "Drago'd have me killed if I didn't. Or at least branded." He addressed Astrid pensively. "So, what does that father of yours look like, Astrid?" She was quick to describe him; Hiccup noticed on an instat that his friend knew exactly where the man in question was. And he wasn't too happy about it, which made Hiccups insedes twist in dreading anticipation.

"What is it, 'ret?" He surely wouldn't like it.

Eret sighed and smiled apologetically. "He's with Drago." Nope, didn't like it at all. "Been playin' a game of cards the whole night and the last time I was at their table they've been discussing some kind of arrangement. I didn't know what it was exactly, but now…" He didn't need to finish for Hiccup to understand. His blood rushed from his face only to then tint his cheeks red in angry frustration.

"Oh, for the fucking love of Thor, no. He can't be serious!" He was up the stairs within seconds and stormed through the barely lit hallway to the door behind which he knew Drago's private little gambling chambers were. This tavern was the man's favourite for a reason beyond the good ale. Privacy if he wanted it, and also less witnesses for good measure.

He was stopped from entering the chambers without thinking any further by delicate, but strong, hands on his arm. Astrid pulled him back. "Would you tell me what's going on before you storm in there like a lunatic?" She growled. Her grip on his biceps tightened when he tried to wrench free. He'd have bruises where her fingers digged into his flesh by tomorrow.

"If anyone's in there with Drago discussing arrangements it's usually not going to end well. And if they are discussing what I think they are, then we're doomed." He pulled her hand off him. His harsh words made her step back a little. He really hoped they weren't discussing what he thought they were. It would create unncessary trouble and be a total pain in his ass to explain to Astrid.

"Hiccup," she hissed back. "stop talking in riddles already, or I swear you'll lose a limb."

They glared at each other, filling the stale air heavy with tension. "I'm only trapped in this damned city simply because of some 'arrangements' made with Drago. So you wanna have your father out of there and as far away from Drago as possible before you're trapped here as well."

"See, it wasn't so hard making sense for once." Astrid mentioned for him to enter the room ahead of them with a nod.

Listening to his surroundings he heared the eager voices of two men, their words muffled by the wooden door. He couldn't make out any words, but one of them was definitely Drago's.

One deep breath to calm his nerves and he knocked, tapping the door rapidly three times in a row, then two slow, and another two fast. It was the rhythm that would distinguish him from other visitors.

"Come in, son." Drago's deep, powerfull voice cut through the wood. Hiccup didn't look at Astrid to see her reaction to the form of address.

He slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. He'd let Astrid in if necessary, but hoped there wouldn't be need for it.

Leif Hofferson was sitting with his back to him and had only turned his head once to quickly peek at the newly arrived then the tankard in front of him was more interesting again. Hiccup crossed the room and came to stand next to his stepfather's chair.

"You are back from the village visits, I see. Did everything do smoothly?" Drago fixed him with black eyed that didn't seem to possess any soul in them. Just two black orbs reflecting the candle light too harshly. His scarred face was covered in mock friendliness. Were it just him and Drago, without the Hofferson patriarch, the meeting would go about differently in its very nature. And once home Hiccup surely would receive all the things Drago could not say with witnesses around. Hiccup had been drawing on the strings of his freedom a lot lately and that would cost him. But despite the punishments Drago would give him, it had still been worth it. Every second he could spend in the skies, high above all the pains awaiting him on the ground, with his best friend were worth it all. He took the greated pleasure in knowing that that was the one thing Drago hadn't taken from him yet. And that he still wasn't broken, even though the madman had tried hard enough; and still did every time he had the opportunity to make Hiccup's life the living hel.

"The villagers all paid their taxes. " He let a pouch full of coins drop onto the gambling table. He'd collected the taxes for the season from the village head just before he'd left for Toothless and filled up what the people couldn't afford with his own money. It was never much, but not worth the trouble a poor family would get into shouldn't they be able to pay their share of taxes. They were ridiculously high anyways. "There had been a few issues with a thief robbing in the outskirts, but a few men managed to put him into custody. They are waiting for you to set a trial date."

Drago nodded, humming silently while Hiccup made his report. "And what about the blacksmith? I know you paid the man a visit every time you go there."

"Well, he could use an apprentice. Unless you want the old man to work himself to death, that is." The blacksmith was getting old and keeping up with the work piling at the front of his forge was becoming more and more difficult for him. Everytime Hiccup paid the man a visit he made sure to get a bit of work done for him under the excuse to keep his skills sharp as a blade. It also didn't hurt that Kerrith reminded him a good lot of Gobber, though, he didn't miss any limbs and wasn't prone to break into song all of the sudden like his old master. But his mouth was just as foul.

Drago shot him a sharp look, but didn't say anything about his comment. "Aren't there any young lads willing to learn from him?" He emptied the pouch and counted the money, making sure not one coin was missing.

"Those who don't have an apprenticeship already have been surged for your projects. The only one's left are kids of an age they'd be doing more harm than anything else in a smithy."

"Speaking from experience, boy?" Drago put the last coin back into the pouch and stored it on his belt. "That's a shame. I have a big order for new weapons in preparation. Can't have even one of my blacksmiths do less work."

Hiccup tripped from one leg to the other. That could be his chance. If he could start working at the forge he'd get away from Drago and… "You know, I could always help out there-" He began, the tiny beacon of hope that was stubbornly shining within him growing at the very thought of the new opportunity.

And was crushed down mercilessly yet another time. "No." Drago left no room for arguing around his decision. "I need you overlooking my businesses, not fooling around with a hobby of yours." Hiccup quickly swalloed the knot froming in his throat. "But, you'll pick five of my boys you think are suited best for the apprenticeship. I'm sure you know what traits to look for in them. I'll then let you know which one you can take to old Kerrith." Hiccup nodded once. The bitterness over the lost chance flowing through his veins like itty bitty icicles.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me, son?"

Don't let him know you know her. Don't let him know. "There is a girl looking for her father. Said she'd left him here, and her description of him fits to your gambling partner of the night."

"She's waiting outside with Eret?"

"Yes."

"Hmm…" Hiccup could basically see the wheels turning in Drago's head, working fast on his next masterplan. "Eret?" He didn't even have to raise his voice that much to be heard. Despite being soft in volume it was mighty and could carry farther than once might think at first. That it carried a cold edge that made you wish for another layer of clothing even on the warmest of days was just another helpful addition for intimidating whomever he met.

The door cracked open and Eret peeked his head inside, looking just a tad bit troubled. "Yes, sir?"

"Get the girl in."

So he opened the door wider and Astrid stepped in, wearing a neutral façade that crumbled faintly once she laid her eyes on her father who had gone over to cradling his head in his hands and mumbling senseless into his beard. He looked like a lost child, except for being much bigger and hairier.

"Dad." Astrid sounded a bit sad about her fathers current state, but also a great deal disappointed and even more annoyed. Leif shot up like he had awoken from the dead and crushed his daughter in a hug, swaying from his intoxication. Without a doubt he had imbibed alcohol in masses large enough to cause a mental blackout later on.

"Astrid!" He slurred. "My beautiful, beautiful Astrid."

"Yes, dad. I'm here. And you are butt drunk." She wiggled free from her father's embrace and made him sit down again. She turned to Drago and put on what must be her best 'dutiful-daughter' smile. "I have to apologize for my father. He usually knows better than to get that drunk. I'm sorry should he have been a bother for you, sir."

"Oh, don't you worry, child." Drago chuckled and sent a warm smile her way. Well, warm for Drago's standards. Hiccup would eat a broom shouldn't he happen to be making plans again. "Your father kept me good company this night. We made quite the… _benificial_ arrangement, if you will." Beneficial for Drago, and Drago alone, that was. It always was. The icicles in his blood froze all over again. It took all the the will-power Hiccup had for him to stay calm and merely raise and eyebrow at his stepfather. Please make he didn't really do that, Hiccup prayed silently.

"Astrid, dear, I'm so, so sorry."

"Why? Dad," she couldn't hide her distress anylonger. "please don't tell me you gambled away our cargo."

Leif shook his head no, shoulders slumped down. "No. No, not the cargo, daughter."

 _Please. Please. PLEASE, let me be wrong. Just once let me be wrong_ , Hiccup continued his prayer to all the gods he knew. Norse as well as those of foreign lands he'd heard of. _Please let me be wrong._

"If not the cargo then what…?" Astrid knelt down in front of her father, her skirts pooling around her.

"Please forgive me, Astrid. I didn't have a choice. I had to. You have to forgive me, my sweet darling girl. Forgive me." Leif's voice broke and he fell over, his hands on Astrid's shoulders being the only thing preventing him from hitting the ground hard and sobbing.

Drago took a piece of parchment out of a drawer behind him and placed it on the table so Astrid as well as Hiccup could take a look at it.

Astrid's eyes widened in shock and she shook her head in desperation. "No." she mouthed to no one in particular.

Hiccup didn't need to take more than a quick look at the paper to know the gods hadn't heared his prayers. For on the table lay a contract of marriage between the Hofferson's daughter and Bludfist's son. And since Drago didn't have any children of his own the contract must be meant for him.

 _Oh how lovely. The gods must must hate me._

* * *

I'm sorry that it took me so long to update, but this chapter was just plain out a pain in my ass. I enjoyed writing it, but finding the time to actually write it was hard this past week. But it's about double the lenghts of the other chapters, so I think if I'm going to make the chapters longer in general and thus it'll take longer to updade for me. Figures.

Felix: Thank you so much! The thing with Drago and Hiccup is kind of complicated. And yes, Drago is ordering him around quite a lot, but doesn't need to be harsh 24/7 to him. He has his ways to keep the boy in line. ;) And Hiccup wouldn't be Hiccup without his special, authority-defying flare going on. Toothless is hidden and will get his screentime in the next two chapters or so. He isn't a mayor character in thins story basically because he can't be around Hiccup all the time. And please don't stop rambling.

Guest: Well, Valka...let's just say Drago grew rather… 'fond' of her. Please keep in mind that this fic istn't rated M for nothing.

All the others without questions: Thank you all so much for the reviews. I know I probably sound like a parrot repeating that one sentence over and over again, but I really, really enjoy reading them all and you have no idea how happy they make me! Please keep them coming!


	6. Missing pieces

The next few days went by in a rush. After her first encounter with Drago Astrid wasn't given even one moment to actually process what had happened and what it meant. She'd read the contract so many times that night to be able to recite every single word by heart. But the words held no meaning whatsover. They sounded to be randomly put together without any sense or connection.

Astrid entered her small cabin on her father's ship that she'd occupied for the past few months and slid down the door until her butt hit the rocking floor. The soft waves in the harbor made the big trading boat move softly from side to side. It was soothing, the stress slowly falling from her shoulders. The last merchant she'd been to to sell her fathers goods had been pulling on her nerves all morning since dawn. He hadn't understood that, even though she was a woman, she wasn't dim witted and easy to fool with too low bidding or way too high prizes for his own goods. In the very end she'd left him hanging and took her wares back to the vessel. It would be at least another few hours until her father would be back from his own trading missions in the city, so she had a little free time on her hand for the first time in days.

She closed her eyes and recalled the scene in Drago's chambers. Her father had gambled her away to keep his cargo and beloved ship. She was to marry the son of Drago Bludfist; a complete stranger who could very well be a brainless moron for all she knew. She couldn't even hunt him down since that gods-damned contract hadn't contained any names, just 'the son and heir of Drago Bludfist' and 'first daughter of Leif Hofferson'. Why hadn't they just put their troll forsaken names on that stupid piece of paper? One would think that's how these kinds of contracts were drafted. But no, not so with her father, especially not when he was drunk up to the hair on his head. Should she ever cross paths with a woman who could decipher the male species Astrid would beg on her knees for to be let in on that knowledge.

Hiccups reaction to that contract had also been more than interesting. She'd never before seen him this angry. In fact, Astrid thought she'd never once seen him really angry at all back in their childhood. Annoyed out of his mind, yes, but angry? Not so much, even with Snotloud trying his best to get a reaction out of that mild tempered boy. He'd never earned anything more than heavy sarcasm and snarky remarks.

But that night had been different. Hiccup still hadn't been raging and yelling and throwing things around like Astrid herself would have done hadn't she been held down by her fathers weight on her shoulders quite literally. Hiccups anger was boiling quietly underneath the surface, only to be recognized because of the storm raging behind his eyes and the tremble of his tightly clenched fists at his sides. It kind of made it worse than had he just let whatever temper he had been holding down out.

"Anything to say to that, boy?" Drago had dared him.

Hiccup's jaw had been hard at work, but he managed to press the words out clearly. "Nothing that could make you reconsider. And nothing polite either." For Astrid it had sounded like he'd been desperate to finde a way out for her but couldn't.

"So you refuse my offer then?" Offer, what offer? Had she missed something in her momentary stress of her unforseen engagement.

"I can hardly refuse something that has already been signed and sealed."

"Smart boy, aren't you, Horren?" Drago had laughed and dismissed them all save for Hiccup. To Eret he'd said, "Make sure they arrive at their ship unharmed. And tell the watchmen to have an eye on it. We wouldn't want the bride to leave before the wedding." The door had closed behind them, locking away her future that was now at the mercy of this strange, ruthless sovereign.

The way to the docks had been made in silence. Eret had taken to carrying her father who'd given up walking in his misery, and Astrid had held a torch to light the way, her mind completely, utterly blank and stripped from emotions. Eret had helped putting her father into his bed and had advised her to stay in the port if she wanted to avoid being hunted down by Drago's men. "When Drago wants something he'll get it. There won't be any way out." Astrid had the feeling he'd spoken from experience. Before he left her he'd given her one last piece of information that just now started to fit into the whole puzzle now that she had time to ponder over it. "You should know, Astrid, Drago doesn't have a son of his own siring." He'd been gone faster than the words could sink in.

It's been almost a week now, and that night had been the last time she'd seen Hiccup. She'd held her eyes open for him on the markets and streets, but hadn't seen him. She didn't dare approaching the town's residents to ask for his whereabouts, but whenever she spotted a mop of auburn hair she couldn't stop herself from taking a step towards them only to find out it never belonged to the face she was looking for. The dissapointment lay heavy in her gut; a feeling she wasn't used to at all, unwelcome as it was.

Astrid wanted to talk to him. Badly. Along with a good punch in the gut for staying away when she'd just found him again. Holy halls of Asgard, for five years she'd lived believing he was dead, had mourned him along with the village, and wished to turn back time so she could see that boy, who'd once been her best friend when they'd been nothing more than bairns running around without a care in the world, again and finally give him the apology he deserved so much for all those years of being ignored and left out by her. The god's had heared her prayers and sent her his way only for him to then disappear a second time without a word left. Astrid knew it probably was stupid to be mad at him for not at least leave her a message when he was too busy to come to the docks himself. She thought she'd made it pretty clear that they needed to talk more that night. But apparently he'd grown to be just as dim a man as possible. Gods have mercy on her for being a short string when it came to men and their irrational behaviour sometimes, but the emotional pressure put on her between finding a long lost ghost of her past and being engaged to a new nightmare of the future was driving her nuts. And giving her a headache.

Eret's words repeated in her head out of nowhere. _'Drago doesn't have a son of his own siring.'_ She stopped herself from jumping at her own thoughts. Then the contract her father had made for her came to the forefront of her mind. The contract that bound her to Drago's son in marriage. But if he didn't even have a son then how…?

Another little detail came rushing to her that her subconsciousness had tried to hide, fearing the deeper meaning behind it. When Hiccup had knocked on the door and Drago had called him in, and when they'd been talking while Astrid and Eret had waited but could hear most of their conversation through the wooden walls. In both moments Drago had called Hiccup…son. She wanted to think it didn't mean anything more than being a casual address. But too many evidences proved her wrong.

Astrid shook her head vehemently, refusing the truth with all her will. Hiccup had said Drago 'owned' him in some ways. Basil had called him Bludfist, called him prince, hinting his true position in the town should Drago be the king in this equation. Astrid stilled, disturbed by her discovery to the core. What kind of mess had that stupid boy gotten himself into?

She gulped sobs down that were sneaking up her throat on shortening intervals. If Drago didn't have a son by blood, but considered Hiccup as his own rightfully it would mean that-

Suddenly his reaction made a whole lot more sense. He hadn't been upset for her, like she'd initially thought. He'd been upset for himself. And…

And she was engaged to Hiccup, it dawned on her. A part of her whispered _'rather him whom she'd known all her life than some complete stranger'_. It was the warrior in her, ready to face any challenge without blinking once. But the other side of her was more dominant in this moment; the girl with silly hopes and dreames in her that fancied pretty dresses had allied with the woman she'd become without her axe and as one they were screaming and shouting and raging silently insider of her, mourning her loss of freedom and self-determination she had kept so dear to her heart until that fucked up contract came around. A lone tear made its way down her cheek and fell unto her mother's pendant she wore day and night since her sudden death.

 _Oh mom, please help me through this. Please give me strength and a strong heart, s_ he prayed, clutching the jewellery in one hand.

#

The sun hadn't yet risen to its apex when one of the workers from the docks made a rather ridiculous show of giving someone directions to her father's ship. "It's right there, third ship, left dock. You really won't miss it with its patterned sails, Horren. I'd take you there myself and introduce you to that wicked daughter of trader Hofferson, but I've already had my fair share of that lass's axe at my throat." The man laughed a tad bit too loud for Astrid's liking at that and she took a look over the railing. She wasn't surprised to see Berthold the pain in her arse talking. That man would sooner or later loose a hand or his head for bugging her whenever he opened his mouth in her direction. He was worse than Snotlout with his obnoxiousness, and that said something.

What did take her by surprise, though, was that he was talking to Hiccup. She'd completely forgotten about that other name he was wearing here. She really needed to get a hold of her memory again, or she could call herself a forgetful old lady by the end of the moon.

Hiccup nodded the worker thanks and headed straight for her ship. So he hadn't forgotten about her after all. A wave of relief washed over her but was quickly followed by the hollow throbbing of her aching heart, stinging like salt in an open wound. Seeing him was so bitter-sweet; she was happy that he was alive but confused as to what she should feel about her engagement. Should she tell him that she knew it was to him, or should she wait until he decided to aproach the topic himself? Ugh, when had she become such a silly, uncertain girl? She was Astrid Hofferson for Frigga's sake, self-assured, straightforward fearless Astrid Hofferson. Of course she would take matters into her own hand once Hiccup had set his feet on board.

She closed the notebook set infront of her on a barrel and put it away. She would continue the inventory later, it wasn't even due tomorrow evening, so it could wait. The wood of the loading ramp thumped with every step taken onto the ship.

"Hello?" Hiccup asked loudly, looking about but not being able to see her from his current location. But she could see him just fine. "Astrid?" He walked to the center of the sun deck. "I could have sworn..."

Astrid stepped forward and into his range of vision. Much to her delight he jumped and yelped. "Gods above, Astrid!" Despite herself she smirked, satisfied that he was still as easy to startle as she remembered. He rubbed his chest as if it was hurting from being taken by surprise and he was pouting slightly. For a short moment he looked so innocent and vulnerable, but he quickly put himself back together.

"What are you doing here?" She asked and approached him, arms akimbo once she stood in front of him.

He sighed and and pulled a parchment out of his vest and gave it to her. "You remember that, don't you?" It was a slightly different copy of that gods forsaken contract; also signed and sealed like the original one.

"I do." She stared at her fathers signature at the bottom of the document and wished it weren't written in ink so she could just wipe the coal off and go on with her life like she'd planned it. "Did Drago send you to get me?"

"No. I came here on my own accord." Hiccup looked down at her and raised a hand to his neck. There was an expression on his face Astrid couldn't classify. Maybe worry, maybe caution,maybe she was seeing things that weren't there and he didn't mean anything by it. "There are…quite a few things we need to talk about."

She couldn't agree more with him. The moment he'd helped her getting rid of Basil and his bunch of morons he'd left more questions in her head than he answered. It was about time he showed up and delivered her some explanations. Preferably right along with some solutions. But her hopes weren't too high for that one. "Right, like maybe about just how much Drago really 'owns' you? "

"That…would be one thing. Yeah." He quickly checked the position of the sun. It still would take another hour or half for it to reach its highest point. "Listen, Astrid, the thing is, Drago-"

"I know that you're his son," Astrid blurted out. She didn't want to hear any unnecessary talking around the matter when she already knew the truth. "Well… at least kind of."

Surprise showed on his face and he took a step back, for whatever reason. His mouth opened and closed a few times without any words making it out. He reminded her of a fish out of water. He swallowed and found his voice again. "How do you…?"

"Figured. Eret gave me the final clue, though." He nodded and wouldn't meet her eyes for quite some time. His eyebrows were furrowed.

"So you know that contract is meant for me as well as it is for you," he said more to himself than to her.

"Yeah, but what I don't get is how that is even possible." Her voice gained a bit volume but stayed just under what could be considered yelling in frustration. "Did he adopt you or what?"

Hiccup laughed somberly. "Right after he brought me to this hel damned town." At first she thought he'd used his trademark sarcasm again, but then he shook his head and she noticed that it actually was bitterness dripping thickly from his mouth. "That man took my freedom from me and now he's taking yours too. And I don't even know what good it'll do him." He flung up his hands and ran them through his hair, making it stick up in all directions.

Astrid, contract still in hand, felt the need to go and kill some trees lest she did something stupid and accidentally killed her spouse to be. Yeesh, she hadn't really just thought that, had she? She really was a mess. Her hand clenched and crumpled the parchment. At least she could do some damage, whethe it carried any consequences or not. And in this case it sadly didn't.

There were still things that didn't add up at all. And it was bothering her a big deal. "Hiccup, you need to tell me everything, not just bits and pieces like you do right now."

"It's not that easy, Astrid."

"I swear, if you don't start talking already I'm going to get my axe and gut you!" Her patience was wearing thin by every second he kept on confusing her more.

"You'll probably want to gut me either way." He mumbled and crossed his arm ower his chest.

Astrid moved to the main mast of the ship where she'd left her precious weapon and picked it up. Striding up to him she angled her axe so its blade faced Hiccup. He went pale as snow. "A-a-ah, l-lets lets not get t-too ra-rash, shall we?" He held up his hands in defence. She snorted. Like that his hand would be the first thing chopped of. Apparently he hadn't learned as much about fighting as he'd pretended with his sword.

"Talk, Hiccup." She backed him up against the wall. Oh boy, he was squirming to get away. It was hilarious. She fought against the amusement slowly spreading over her face and when he still didn't do anything else than stutter nonsense she brought the dull side of her axe up to his throat, pinning him against the wall like she'd done over a hundred times with various people. It never lost the thrill of seeing even the burliest of viking men getting compliant as a lap dog with her lovely weapon threatening them. They almost never got a clue that it was all mostly charade on her behalf. But she knew just how intimidating she could be if she let her axe play a bit. And Hiccup was no disappointment.

He looked with horror at the blade trapping him and shut his stuttering almost imediately. He was gulping hard. "Ahh, your n-not really going to behead me now, are you?" If Astrid had thought he'd looked like a deer watching the huntsman aim for the kill before now she was almost certain he must share some lineage with the animals. Huge, innocent eyes pleading her silently to have mercy. Their forest green daring to calm her temper… _Stop thinking about his eyes, Astrid,_ she chastised herself.

"Naaaw, the mess wouldn't be worth it."

It was the first time, the damn first time that someone, anyone, managed to slip another expression on while having her axe literally at their throat. "Yeah, wouldn't want to have you clean up all that blood, right?" he deadpanned and waved his hands around aimlessly. "Just think of all the gore! And then there would be my dead body you'd have to let disappear before the guards wonder where I had gone. That sounds just like a new leisure time activity."

Astrid rolled her eyes at him and set him free by taking a good step backwards. She hadn't even realized how close she'd been standing to him. "Hiccup…"

"Alright, alright. Geee, your temper surely hasn't leveled over the years." He massaged his throat carefully even though her axe hadn't really touched him at all. Wuss. "You know, before you started threatening to kill me I was thinking about the best way to explain everything to you without sounding like an absolute lunatic." He shot her weapon a glance an seized it up. Astrid didn't like the scrutinizing he was putting it under so she angled it away from him. "When was the last time that saw propper sharpening?"

"Stop changing topics," she growled. Maybe she would behead him. It at least would get her out of that arrangement. No groom, no wedding, no contract. If it only were that easy.

His head whipped back to her and now he was seizing her up. Astrid swore his eyes were lingering a tad too long on her chest. So she punched his, not particularly hard, just snapping his attention back to her face where it belonged. To say he had a short attention span would be an understatement. "You can ride a horse, don't you?" And again, completely out of topic. He just proved her point without knowing it. No wonder his father used to be upset with him all the time the moment he stepped out of the chief's hall. A walking disaster with the a focusing difficulties. And yet, the moment he was gone the village had felt bizarrely empty. No sudden explosions to interrupt the afternoons, no failable, silly inventions to mess up the raids, and no busy chattering in the forge anymore. With Hiccup gone a little light had been extinguished in their lives she hadn't known even existed. In that moment she felt incredibly stupid and sorry for taking her frustration out on him when he mustn't be feeling any better than her. Stupid empathetic heart of hers.

But that didn't mean he didn't confuse her. Astrid shook her head incredulously. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"So you can't?" He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest.

"Of course I can!" Astrid put a hand on her hip. "What kind of traders would we be if we didn't travel to the settlements farther inside the country? And that is best done on horseback."

"Good." He walked around her towards the loading ramp. She reluctantly followed him without needing to be told to. As if she would let him get away this quickly now that she could finally get some fucking answers. On the presumption that he would stop avoiding the matter, of course. Astrid wished she could see into that thick head of his, but alas, she wasn't a mind reader.

"Good because…?" Perhaps she needed a different tactic with him. She wasn't going to let those missing pieces of the puzzle be left missing for much longer.

"Good because we're gonna go for a ride now." If that wasn't a smirk playing on his lips when he halfway looked over his shoulder at her then she'd be damned. That little shit was doing it on purpose! He was confusing and bewildering her on purpose. And was enjoying it as well if that dumb smirk was any indication.

"And since when can you go around telling me what to do?" Astrid lowered her eyebrows and rotated the axe, which she still had in her hand, with a flick of her wrist.

"I could bring up that contract again, but I'm rather fond of my life. So let's just say I need you to meet someone to understand the mess you got into. And also," he turned to walk backwards a few paces, "I got the order to get you for some pretentious dinner this evening anyway. Might as well combine both things."

"I thought you came on your own accord?"

"I did. I didn't need to come this early. Though it benefited my own mission, so yeah." On purpose, he was so doing it on purpose. And he knew she didn't like it. She could smell it.

They walked down the docks, now side by side. Some of the workers shot strange glances in their direction, but no one said anything. At the gate into town stood a boy who couln't be older than twelve. He was holding two big horses, either looking like it could stomp the poor kid down, at their holsters and fed them carrots. When he saw them approaching he led the animals towards them, meeting up halfway. He exchanged a few words with Hiccup in this different language she didn't understood and was given a few coins for his troubles. He was gone faster once the money was in his hands than she could have said one word. He did shouted something that couldn't be mistaken as anything else than a 'thank you' back to Hiccup, though.

Hiccup pressed the holster of the brown one into her hand. "This would be your mount then."

Astrid looked sceptical at the animal. It was bigger than the ones she was used to and the saddle was much higher, almost in line with her eyes. And she was wearing a dress… "I think I have to first get some other clothes on. There is no way I can get up there with this darn dress." Oh how she missed her spiked skirt and comfortable leggins right then and there. She should have gotten changed when she had the opportunity to do so. She strapped her axe to her back with the leather string she'd secured at the hilt for that exact reason and made an attempt at giving the holster back to Hiccup, but he just shook his head and pressed both holsters into the hands of a nearby worker who then stared at him dumbfound but didn't protest. "What are you doing?" Hiccup stood next to her and something about his expression made her warriness return with full force. There was this sparkle in his eyes that was- "Hiccup!" she exclaimed. He had grabbed her waist and lifted her, actually lifted her, in the saddle before she had time to process what was happening. Thankfully her body remembered to stay balanced and she stabilized herself with her hands on his shoulders. The she was on top of the horse. Flabbergasted she gaped at him. There was a sense of smugness coming from him and a self-satisfied grin on his face that, for whatever reason, made her cheeks go up in flames.

Astrid covered her embarrassment by sitting up stright in the saddle, admittedly with her feet dangling from one and the same side, and giving his shoulder a good blow. Since when could he lift things heavier than fifty pounds? And with such ease? Who was this young man now getting onto his own mount next to her, and what had he done to awkward, weak, innocent Hiccup?

She got into a proper riding position, as far as that was possible with an inconvenient dress gathering up at her knees, and took the holster back in hand. Her mount, a mare like Hiccup told her then, stepped delicately from hoof to hoof, but soon fell into a relaxed trot with the other horse.

* * *

 **Sorry I'm so late with updating, but school was just crazy with all the exams happening right now. But at least it turned out to be a longish chapter. And I think I have to apologize for Astrid and her axe… I don't know what happened but the girl just wanted to threaten Hiccup a lil bit, no matter what I tried she always ended up having her axe at his throat, so in the end I just went with it and let her have some fun. Poor girls needs some outlet for all her confusing emotions and stress and just life itself, and since there aren't any trees she could kill nearby…**

 **Anyways, let's get to your sweet reviews! Thanks so much, you guys, you are warming my heart!**

 **Fabian: Aww thank you!**

 **Felix: The arrangements between Drago and Hiccup will soon be revealed! But I think they could be summarized as 'You do what I want and I won't kill you' ;) Eret is great. I love that guy and he'll show up more often in future chapters since he's become an integral part of Hiccups everyday life. Our poor bby needs his friend to stay sane. Drago can do anything he want! Think of him as some evil maniac who wants to own the whole world! :D**

 **Angryhenry: You are giving me ideas for an AU for this AU ;)**

 **Khizar: The gods actually love him, or rather the good reality TV show he's making for them if they already had TV at this timeperiod!**

 **LunnaValley23: Internally he's just as much of a mess as our dear confused Astrid. But yes, he's quite pleased he gets to marry the girl he's had a crush on for an eternity.**


	7. Secrets in a Mountainrage

_Astrid:_

They were riding through the streets mostly om silence. Only the occasional question about his whereabouts for the past week – doing work for Drago, it turned out – or her father's trading business breaking it.

Hiccup learned that her mother had died about a year ago, from an illness, leaving Astrid and her father in grief. "Dad was devastated, you know," she told him. "He'd gone on a fishing trip and everything had still been mostly good. When he came back two weeks later, though, she was already gone." Her voice quivered for a moment, but she caught herself and straightened her back, not allowing herself to crumble in front of Hiccup, even if her expression stayed glum. "He couldn't stand living in the house she had died in anymore and decided to go on a trading journey. Knowing my father, I accompanied him to make sure he wouldn't loose all our money because he had no idea whatsoever of trading business. And because he has a gods-damned gambling problem. But… you know just how well that worked out in the end."

They fell silent again. Neither of them made any attempts at discussing the one consequence in particular that affected them both. By now, there was too much left unsaid from his side to even consider engaging in this sort of messed up conversation. He was hiding things, and Astrid could only hope he was clearing things up for her faster than Drago would organize a ceremony for them. She really loathed the idea of getting married to a stranger when there was the possibility for her to marry a long lost childhood friend instead. Although, both concepts didn't sound too rosy for her liking.

 _Hiccup:_

They reached the western gate that lead to the few properties of the wealthier people of the town, including the mansion of Drago, situated just on top of a rather big hill so that the mad-man could still watch over his precious town even when he wasn't there. That was, should he decide to come there for the few nights he didn't spend in his city house near the harbor. Drago did come almost every day, though, to at least quickly check up on things. And them.

Since the day Drago had taken Valka as his wife, and thus become Hiccup's stepfather, which was practically the day Drago had brought them to his city, he had been living there. Despite hating the city – its buzzing busyness and neverending cacophony, he'd grown rather fond of the manor even if his favourite place still was by far in the skies with Toothless. But at the manor was his mother, the woman he'd missed for over fourteen years of life, and now enjoyed every second he could spend with her. For most of his life Hiccup had asked himself why he'd never seemed to be able to relate to his father. Well, it tunred out he simply had been a mummy's boy with the problem of his mother being absent. There had been some difficulies at the beginning, of course, but they had been able to get over them. Then Drago had come and destroyed his new found happyness.

They passed the road leading towards the manor houses and instead followed the path to the close by woods.

"All right," Astrid said when they entered the forest spreading out in front of them, froming a thick rampart before the little mountain range begant that separated this land from that of the christians.

"Where are you leading me to?"

"The mountains," he answered truthfully.

"So, whoever you need me to meet lives in the mountains?"

"Yeah, it's better for him there than in the city."

The forest was grown lightly, creating natural paths their horses could use without much effort. At first they stayed on a man-made path, though. The ground was divided by the tracks of endless carts and carriages travelling this very road to the next village.

"Why is that?" Astrid asked, the curiosity blankly written on her face. "Did he anger Drago and had to go into hiding?"

"You are awefully curious, you know that?" Hiccup said in a light tone. He wouldn't tell her yet that this 'him' he was talking about wasn't a human being but a dragon. He'd have one Hel of a time explaining to her later, and they still had a bit of a journey ahead of them. Hiccup deemed it needless to spend their entire ride justifying himself and his decicions when he still could avoid to do so for a little longer.

Astrid shot him a look. "Well, if you would just tell me some things…" She let the end of the sentence hang freely in the air, waiting for him to pick it up and take the invitation. But he didn't. Not yet, he told himself, not yet.

He shook his head, a small smile playing around his lips. "Have patience, would you?"

Astrid sighed, "I think I've had enough patience this past week, don't you think?" She shifted in her saddle, rearranging her skirts on the horse's back. It still didn't look much more comfortable than it did before. "Damned dress, I should have gotten changed before we went." She muttered just loud enough for him to hear. That sparked a thought in him.

"Why are you wearing a dress, anyway? I can't recall you ever wearing one back on Berk." There had been one incident where her mother had tried to put Astrid in a dress, but the defiant little girl had ravaged until she was allowed to put her leggings and skirt back on, claiming the dreaded garment would hinder her while fighting.

Astrid scoffed, still tugging at the fabric. "Because apparently, outside the archipelago it's indecent for a woman to wear anything shorter than ankle-length. I don't give a fuck what is considered decent and what not when I need to be able to move, but sadly, people won't make good deals with you if you don't seem professional in their eyes. And wearing a nice leather skirt with spikes and skulls won't help coming along as professional. So," she gave one final tug and the long skirt of her dress was gathered up at her knees and spread out on the back of the horse so that she could move her legs as she liked. "A dress is what I'm wearing." Underneath her dress she wore leggings and shin high boots to keep of the cold the season brought along with it. It wasn't quite winter and the leaves on the trees were just starting to turn into various shades between red and yellow, some having a bit of a brownish hue to them, but the wind was already stining naked skin depending on the direction it came from.

"But just for your information," she added, "I do like dresses. I just do not need to be wearing them all the time."

Hiccup was genuinely surprised by this. Never would he have thought the mighty Astrid Hofferson, whom he always remembered as a girl that rather got her hands dirty than dressing up in fancy clothes, would like dresses.

The path soon seperated from the direction Hiccup needed them to take. So he waited for an opening in the forest the horses would be comfortable with, and went off-road. It wasn't unusual to find new routes for travellers when the current one just wasn't efficient enough. The ride through wilderness was always his favourite part of the way to the caverns Toothless was hiding in. The fields were beautiful to look at in summer, the mountains always an obstacle he liked to take, but the forst, especially when everything would be green and humming with life in the warmer seasons, was where he was able to breath freely without having to worry someone might see him in such an unusual part of the land Drago owned. Though sadly, this part, away from the paths and eyes of passerbys, always felt like the shortest.

Soon the trees lightened up, the terrain got steeper, and the rocky surface of the mountains showed through the soft earth of the forest.

Hiccup lead them along the foot of the first mountain, which he considered only a rather big hill, until they reached a small, from afar unseen, break that formed a valley between the little mountain and it's bigger brother. From experience he knew the horses would dismay passing through it, so he dismounted and lead his stallion to a grassy patch hidden by a bunch of tumbled down boulders, Astrid with her mare right behind him. She'd been so quiet the past few minutes he'd almost forgotten she was even there wouldn't it have been for the ruffling of her skirts in the wind.

"We are gonna leave the horses here and walk the rest," he informed her while tying the horses together to a tree so they wouldn't be able to get away on their own. "It's not far anyomore, though."

Astrid made a humming sound. When he looked over his shoulder he saw her seizing up the mountain rage rising up almost directly in front of her nose, her eyes locked on the very peak and chewing on her lip. She looked kind of troubled.

Raising an eyebrow he asked, "You okay?"

"Hmm?" Her head whipped to him. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just…" Her gaze locked back on the top of the mountain. "We are not gonna climb all the way up there, are we?"

Hiccup had to laugh at that. "No, we are not."

Once the horse's halters were tied securely to the trees, they began to make their way through the valley that didn't even measure ten feet in broadth. The way curved not too far after the entrance, and opened the sight to a stray boulder that had locked inself between the rock walls, blocking the way for everything bigger than a child. Or so it seemed. But Hiccup knew the terrain better than everyone else and thus had long ago learned that you just had to be slim enough to fit through the narrow gap between rock and mountain. A bit of crawling was also involved but other than that the way was easily accessable for him. Discovering this had been the first time he'd actually thanked the gods for not giving him a bulky, burly body like the usual Vikings had. Now, leading Astrid towards the last big obstacle between them and their destination, he was also glad that she wasn't build like the typical Viking woman either. Though for her part that didn't equal being weak; Hiccup knew just fine how strong the young woman next to him was. He had no doubt that she could very well kill him with one hand behind her back; which didn't particularly help him feel too confident about introducing her to Toothless. For the most part he was concerned about the presence of her axe; she wouldn't have left it behind, and would he have asked she'd just gotten more wary than she already was. But he needed her to trust him, needed her to listen to what he had to say before judging him, and especially needed her to kill neither Toothless nor him.

Getting up from crawling and brushing the dirt from their clothes, Hiccup quickly checked the perimeter for anything that was different from how he'd last seen the path before them leading farther around the mountain but couldn't spot anything beside the dampness of the environment due to the rainfall of last night.

Three bends of the path and a few slopes later and the path ended abruptly at the sudden drop of the ground. The view opened up to a large crater of what must have once been the center of a now long dormant volcano. But instead of dull heaps of solid lava, the area was covered in rich gass and undergrowth of all kinds and trees with extraordinarily tall trunks. Everything was painted in goldeb hues with spots of red and the ocassional green defying fall with a stubbornness that could compete with that of a Viking. A river was weaving its way across the length of the crater, forming a small pond that and disappearing into a submerged cavern on the far side of the crater. The peak on which they stood was directly in the course of the winds whistling softly through the rage of mountains. It was a sight that made Hiccup feel free and like he would be able to take on the world if he had to, especially with the knowledge that his dragon companion would be waiting for him just short of hundred feet below.

Hiccup watched as Astrid took in the view in front of her. There was wonder in her eyes and the faintest hint of a smile following the slight gape from her mouth. The wind was blowing strands of her flaxen hair into her face, making his finger itch in a unreasonable desire to tug them back behind her ear. He quickly looked away befor she could catch him staring at her, his cheeks flaming up with that stupid crush that had flared up again after all those years of distancing himself as much as possible from his past.

Despit looking at every stone and sunlit spot in the crater, Hiccup couldn't find the familiar night-black shadow he had expected to be laying around lazily on an unusually bright day such as this. He suspected the dragon was curled up in one of the many caverns or hanging upside down from a tree and dozing the day away in the shadows.

The very last obstacle was the path down; rocky and not man-made, just the nature leaving just enough space as not to stumble over one owns feet. For an untrained eye the spacing between the undergrowth would seem random at most, but Hiccup would know the hidden way in his sleep anytime. The foot of the mountain blended in with the ground almost seamlessly and before they knew it they were already on their way across the crater.

"Almost there," he told Astrid when they reached one of the river's many bends. If he had to guess Toothless would soon enough sense their presence and come looking. And Hiccup definitely needed to prepare the young woman at his side before that happened and she might attack the dragon. That certainly wouldn't end well with her axe and all. So when she moved to continue on, just muttering a short 'All right', he grabbed her elbow to hold her back. "Wait a moment."

"What is it? If it isn't far why don't we just go on?" The suspicion was right back without missing a beat.

"Because," he chewed on the words for a moment, the threw all cautions to the wind. "there are a few things you need to know, first." He glanced at her axe, cringing internally. "And it'd be great if maybe you would not kill me before I'm done."

Astrid raised an eyebrow. "You better not make me regret coming with you, Haddock." She looked pointedly at her elbow where his hand still rested at its crook. He pulled it back as fast as though he'd just burned himself on the fabric of her dress.

He turned to face the river-side, thinking it might be easier not having to look her straight in the eyes while judgement would most certainly fill them, but having her staring at his unprotected back made the hairs at the nape of his neck stand up. So he turned back again, looking anywhere but at her directly. "The day I...disappeared, I wasn't kidnapped. I left by myself." He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. He felt the urge to slouch forward, to make himself smaller than he really was like he'd done so many times when he'd been younger; but that would indicate weakness not only of the body but also of the mind. So he drew up his imaginary wards and steeled himself mentally for the rest, for the hardest part still lay before him.

He expected her to be shocked, confused at least, but she merely raised an eyebrow at him. "I kind of figured that by now."

Hiccup would have tripped over his feet weren't he standing still. So instead he snapped his head towards her. "You did?"

"Your lie about being abducted really wasn't that convincing." She shrugged and beckoned for him to go on with his confession.

Hiccup scratched at the nape of his neck. He needed to work on his lying-game if it was so easy to read through his lies. "Um, all right. Remember the last raid before dragon training started?"

"The one where you claimed to have shot down a Night Fury and destroyed half of the docks? Yes, quite vividly so."

"I actually did shoot down a Night Fury." There it was. Part one was out.

This time the anticipated reaction did come as Astrid's face fell. "You gotta be fucking kidding me." She uttered, her mouth still hanging open slightly afterwards. Hiccup couldn't resist a small smirk at his irrelevant victory of rendering her speechless for the moment. But he couldn't relish it as much as he would have liked to do.

"Nope. It went down near Raven's Point." He mimic his words with a gesture of his hands. "It was hard to find but totally worth the effort." Hiccup recalled the search he had done back then in order to find the downed dragon, how he'd already given up hope to find anything at all in the deepest woods of Berk when he'd finally stumbled across the broken branches and traces of heavy object having hit the ground not too gently.

"Raven's Point..." Astrid mumbled more to herself than to him. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened the slightest bit. "That's where we found black dragon scales! But," she hesitated for a moment, "there weren't any remnants of a dragon other than those. No bones, no teeth, not even footprints."

"I know." He sighed, drawing a hand across his face. "Listen, this dragon, the Night Fury, was the reason why I suddenly got good in the ring. I managed to learn quite a lot from him about dragons and their behaviour, things you usually would not be able to learn. I –" In that moment, when he was just starting to get to the 'I befriended a dragon'-part, a bush next to them rustled and a black shadow leaped out of the undergrowth, growling dangerously. Astrid drew her axe faster than he could follow with his eyes and prepared to attack the intruder.

 _Astrid:_

Astrid stared at the creature growling at her. Its scales were darker than the night sky and its wings were pulled up threateningly. It looked as if it were about to pounce on her any minute now and rip out her throat with the sharp teeth while the menacing talons bore into her guts. But the most surprising, most shocking thing about the whole incident was that Hiccup, former village mess-up, was as calm around the mighty beast as one would around any domesticated animal. He had one hand braced on the breast's snout and was rubbing it in slow circles over the midnight scales. It seemed to Astrid like he didn't even acknowledge the threat coming from the black dragon. Only when her hand shot to the axe at her back did his eyes widen –almost comically were it not for the dangerous situation- in distress. But not over the beast. No, over her.

The dragon noticed her movement as well and let out a warning growl. It tried to advance on her, but Hiccup held it back with his hands.

"Don't." She didn't know whether it was directed at her or at the beast for he shot looks in both their directions. Astrid didn't listen to him though, and pulled her axe forth anyway, making the dragon arch its back in the process. This time Hiccup looked at her directly with worry bright in his green eyes while adressing her. "Astrid, please don't. I promise I will explain, but please, put that axe away." His voice betrayed the calmness his body language suggested; the words rushed out too fast and too desperate to be considered as composed as he tried to come across.

"That is a fucking dragon standing behind you, gods damn it, Hiccup!" Astrid yelled, clutching her weapon even tighter around the hilt. She wouldn't go down without a fight should Hiccup have decided to get rid of his problems by simply getting rid of her. Or should the beast decide she would make for a decent dinner. Either way, she would fight her way out if she so must.

The dragon made a sound in the very back of its throat and it reminded her of something she'd last heared years ago, but still she knew that the dragon was about to shoot her to ashes. Astrid prepared to leap out of the way, careful not to trigger the beast off by accident, when Hiccup abruptly turned and faced the dragon, blocking her fully from its view.

"Knock it off, bud. You are definitely not going to fire at her." His tone was – to her utter surprise- authorative and also kind of irritated. He then looked back at her, a scowl now visible on his features. "In fact, the both of you knock it off already. This is ridiculous."

Then the impossible happened; the dragon seemed to understand him and within a moments notice turned from deadly beast to tame and not so beastly after all. It sat on its hind legs and lifted up the frills at the sides of its head, looking expectantly, and actually kind of innocently, back at Hiccup. The contrast between the two versions of the creature couldn't have been greater.

Astrid stood with her jaw slack and the axe gradually sliding out of her not so firm hold. "You-How-what...?"Astrid stumbled over the words not willing to properly form inside her mouth. She couldn't believe what had just happened in front of her own eyes. Maybe this was just a very weird dream and she would wake up in her bed back on Berk and her world was still intact.

Hiccup's composure eased up and he dropped his hands to his sides, sighing heavily. "You scared him."

A beat. Then another. Astrid waited for some sense to appear in the statement, but it was lost on her. She dropped her axe in incredulity. "I scared him?" Was that stupid boy talking about the dragon? "Who is him?" Astrid silently prayed he was just messing with her. He couldn't really mean the darn dragon, for Thor's sake.

Hiccup stepped aside, giving the dragon and the young woman free sight of one another. Gesturing between them with his hands he awkwardly introduced them; as far as that was even possible between a human and a dragon. "Toothless, Astrid. Astrid, Toothless." The dragon huffed and smoke came out of his nostril. It gave her an indifferent glare.

"This is insane." Astrid mumbled to herself. "This is completely, utterly insane." She backed away slowly, having decided it would be best to get out of there as fast as she could. But when her back didn't hit the nearest tree she had counted on to use as a makeshift barricade between the threat and her escape route, she noticed her mistake. The sounds of their surroundings came back to her, including the splashing of flowing water.

Hiccup noticed the same moment she did and tried to warn her with an outstretched hand and a few steps taken towards her. "Astrid, careful, the river is-" His voice was drowned out by her surprised shriek when the ground gave away and she fell butt first into the water. Thankfully, the river was neither too deep nor too strong and she quickly managed to get to the surface again after having submerged. She gasped for air and tried to make her way back to the rivebank, but her dress, her darn dress, hindered her a great deal with its long skirt and the rather wide sleeves catching on the current and dragging her with it. The heavy, soaked fabrik was also not helpful at all.

"-right behind you." Hiccup finished loud enough for her to hear over the sounds of the water and her poor attempts at half walking, half swimming through the waist-deep river. He knelt down, still on safe ground, and chuckled.

"Don't just sit there and laugh, you yakdung eating mungebucket. Get me out of here!" Astrid yelled and splashed some water on him for good measure, coating him in a layer of droplets. She lost her footing on the slippery ground of the river and had to struggle for balance, just barely catching a hold of the riverbank to steady herself once again. Hiccup, still finding great amusement in her struggles, offered her his hand. Astrid accepted it and let herself be dragged onto solid ground.

Once she managed to get to her feet again - also with the help of Hiccup, to her dismay- she let go of his hand and took quite a few steps away from him and the river.

She shot a look at the dragon sitting a couple of paces away from her. It was watching her with curiosity, the frills around its head raised up and the head cocked sideways. All the wildness seemingly had fallen from it the moment Astrid had made a fool of herself by falling into the stream. But she didn't let the dragon's peculiar behaviour cloud over her knowledge that it still was a vicious beast. Everything inside her screamed for her to run away as fast as she could, get to the mare waiting for her return outside the mountains, and just leave all this behind her. The only thing holding her back from doing so was the fact that there was no way in Hel she would be able to be fast enough in completely soaked clothes; the fabric was even heavier than it had been in the water and clung to her skin, making it almost impossible for her to move properly, let alone run.

Pushing her dripping bangs out of her face and wringing water out of her braid, she huffed. To Hiccup, who was watching her as well as the dragon, she said in a harsh voice "You said you would explain. Now is the time for that." When he took a breath before starting to talk, she quickly added, "And don't even think about leaving out some things. I want to now every little detail."

Hiccup nodded. "That's only fair." He ran a hand through his hair. "I actually was already going to explain everything to you before wer got interrupted. You might want to make yourself comfortable, though. It's a very, very long story."

 **I am so, so, so very sorry about taking so long to update this story! Life has been a mess for me lately with a thesis I had to write an internternship in London, two phases of exams for school; and additionally to that writer's block has paid me a visit lately (it's hopefully gone now, though). I hope you can forgive me. *makes puppy eyes***

 **Thank you so much for the reviews and new followers this story gained! You guys have no idea just how happy it makes me every time I get a notification about a review, a follower or even a favourite! They were what kept me going on with this story in the end. :) And don't you worry, everything is going to make sense! The next chapter will clarify a lot and answer some questions you might have; especially about Hiccup and Drago. HOPEFULLY, should life be so gracious, I will be able to update in the near future (aka within the next say 3 months tops ;) ) The release of the third season of RTTE has me really pumped about this again and in less than three weeks I have summer break, so the prospects of me being able to update are pretty good. I won't make myself take on a schedule for updating again, though. So, with that said, see you in the next chapter :)**


	8. Warming Up

The fire was cracking, radiating warmth that promptly made Astrid's shivers lessen. There wasn't much wind, but the chill air was enough to creep into her bones and make her tremble like a leave once the initial rush of adrenaline died down. With no chance of changing into dry clothes, Astrid was glad for the fire to at least start drying her drenched form. She still had to wring bits of water out of her braid every few minutes to keep it from dripping on the clammy bodice. She just hoped she wouldn't come down with a cold; she clearly didn't need something like that to bug her as well.

Hiccup was sitting on the other side of the fire, leaning with his back against the dragon's side. He had started up the fire – him building and the dragon igniting it – without needing to be told as much. It was obvious that Astrid was freezing; who wouldn't after an involuntary bath in a cold stream?

While they were sitting at fire and Astrid waited for her clothes to dry Hiccup finally told her. He told her about Dragon Training. How he'd found the Night Fury in the woods, unable to fly away on its own. How he'd earned its trust and was able to study it. How he'd learned from it about a dragon's behavour and could thus use his new found knowledge to his advantage with the dragons in the Kill Ring. How he'd build a new tailfin for the downed dragon and helped it fly again. And at that moment Astrid noticed the inconspicious saddle on back of the dragon; it fit its body so perfectly with its sleek design and rather dark leather that Astrid hadn't noticed it until now. A rope ran from what seemed to be some sort of pedal to the the tailfin, secured with straps of leather, and connected to Astrid now knew to be a prosthesis.

"Remember when you caught me in the forge in the middle of the night?" he asked. She remembered. His more than peculiar bahaviour. The racket she'd heard coming from the forge. His sudden disappearance without a trace, like he'd just dissolve into thin air. "I had to loosen a hook -that secured me to Toothless but wouldn't let go. You almost busted me – us – then."

Hiccup went on about building new tailfins for the dragon until he'd managed to design one that worked. He told her about his first real flight on dragonback. What he described to her seemed impossible, horrifying and, if she was completely honest with herself, even a bit thrilling. Not that she'd admit that; especially not to him.

All the while he talked she stayed silent, not uttering a word, safe for incredulous huffs. When he asked her something, like her remembering a certain moment, she either shrugged it away or gave short nods. She figured taht the Night Fury the boy had shot down and befriended, the creature their village had feared for years, was the same as black scaled beast lying across the fire.

"So that was when I decided to leave Berk." Hiccup said quietly. His eyes were fixed on the burning flames which reflected in them and brought out the green even more vividly. If Astrid wasn't played by the light then there was remorse hidden in them behind the facade of the confident young man sitting across from her. Like he didn't even acknowledge to himself that his decision pained him.

Astrid drew her legs in, wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on her knees. The moment of silence grew longer and longer, each of them lost in their own memories of that time that felt like ages ago but yet like just a day had passed since Gothi had announced Hiccup winner of Dragon Training.

"You know," Astrid started, avoiding his eyes, "that day I had actually planned on following you to wherever you went after the training sessions." She frowned. "I wanted to know what you were up to and how you'd gotten so good. But in the end, Fishlegs held me back; saying you'd need time to stomach Gothi's decision and prepare for the Nightmare. Maybe things would be different now had I just followed you."

"I-I don't know about that, Astrid. Would you have listened to me? After finding out I was hiding a dragon – a Night Fury at that – would you have listened to anything I had to say?" Astrid looked up to him only to find him staring intently at her in return. He swallowed once. "Or would you have just killed Toothless and told the whole tribe I was a traitor and sympathizer of our foe?"

Astrid opened her mouth to protest but found it would be a lie spilling out of her. Hiccup was right; she wouldn't have listened to him willingly back then. The stubborn, vicious girl she'd been back then would rather have died than listened to someone who went against everything she believed in. She probably would have run straight back to the village just like he'd said. Astrid closed her mouth and yet again averted her gaze.

"See, it wouldn't have changed much had you followed me that day. Not for the better anyway." For reasons she couldn't quite grasp he sounded bitter in her ears. And for some reason a feeling overcame Astrid that he was wrong despite her lack of better knowledge of the past and forgone possibilities. Maybe she didn't know herself as well as she thought. Maybe the same was true for Hiccup. But maybe 'maybe' was just a word she shouldn't spend too much time thinking about.

The fire gave a loud crack and a few ambers flew high into the air while a log broke in half and –tumbled down the pile of firewood. For the blink of an eye it seemed as though its momentum would extinguish the flames of the other logs before the fire flared up a bit higher than it did before.

"What came after Berk?" Astrid asked. Things were finally falling into place and started to make sense and she wasn't about to let this conversation drop on the pondering of what-if's and might-have's. "What did you do after you left?"

Hiccup dragged a hand over his face; his left, she noted. "Do you want the short version or the impossibly long one?"

"As long as it doesn't mean leaving out important information, I'll take the short one." Although she craved answers she had neither the need nor patience for irrelevant antics of an stray boy on a journey with his pet dragon.

"All right," Hiccup pondered for a moment and fiddled with a sleeve of his tunic, tugging on already pulled loose strings. "So Toothless and me travelled the northern seas, farther in every direction than Berk's ships ever have as far as I know – well, until recently that is," he grimaced at her at the reference of her fathers trading ship. "but we stayed near the archipelago for the most part. Within a few weeks we found an unoccupied island and I'd planned on making a new home there, or at least something we could return to. But then we came across another dragon rider."

"Another one? Who'be crazy enough to try and ride a dragon except for you?"

Hiccup grinned, an almost wolfish grin that Astrid didn't like at all. "My mother would."

And the world just became a little more insanely possible. "Your _mother_?!" Astrid couldn't believe her ears. Clearly she must have misheard, for Valka Haddock – Hiccup's mother – had been taken and killed by dragons. Everyone knew that. There was no way the dragons wouldn't have ripped her apart like any other prey of theirs.

And yet Hiccup had successfully approached and trained a Night Fury; the proof was sitting right in front of her. "Wasn't your mother-?"

"Taken and thus presumably killed by dragons?" He finished for her with a smirk. "Well, that's what everyone thinks. But in reality she was as much killed by them as I was. Taken by them, yes. My mother was the first one to ever fly with dragons – _is_ the first one. She lived with them since the day Cloudjumper took her."

"Cloudjumper?"

"Her... most loyal dragon companion; a Stormcutter. He's- _was_ magnificent." A sullen mood spread over their little group at the mentioning of this particular dragon, even though Astrid didn't understand why. From the way Hiccup spoke of it and even the dragon behind him looked a little unhappy, she took that this _magnificent_ , as Hiccup had called it, creature must have passed away. And probably in a way that wasn't the nicest.

"So... your mother lived with dragons and left you behind on Berk? Did she never consider to come back for you?" Astrid couldn't imagine a mother who would willingly abandon her child, her baby, for a life spent in the wilderness without a second thought. Deep down she knew she herself would never be able to do such a thing herself. And she didn't even _have_ a child on her own, yet she knew the feeling to protect what belonged to her and what she loved, _whom_ she loved, would only increase with that.

"Yeah, we did have a few disputes over that once the initial excitement subsided. " Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck like he'd been the one doing his mother wrong and not the other way around. Astrid shook her head wordlessly. The thought about that made her kind of sad for his sake.

"Anyway," he made a dismissive gesture. "I stayed with her, learned more about dragons than I would have on my own, had just a very adventurous but happy time..." he stopped, pressing his lips together. A crease appeared between his brows and a pensive look crossed his features. "A bit over a year after I left Berk, we flew farther south than usually. Mom wanted to show me some markets she loved to go to, so we landed in the forest." He pointed in the direction they had come from where the beautiful autumn-kissed woods lay. "Cloudjumper got into a trap, but we weren't able to get him out straight away. While mom tried breaking him free, Toothless and I went to hide him somewhere considerably safer than out in the open. When I came back to them though, there were men checking on the trap with mom and Cloudjumper still there. They were quick about putting Cloudjumper into a cage and tying up my mother. Before I could even think about running, they had me as well." He massaged his wrists as though he could still feel the shackles bound around them a bit too tight. "They brought us to the city and to Drago. He wanted to talk to my mother. After that conversation she told me she was going to marry Drago. I still have no clue why she choose to do that. She later told me Drago's history with Berk and that I was to hide my heritage, that our lifes and those of our dragons were depending on my keeping my mouth shut."

"And you played your role."

"I did. I had no other choice. Whenever I have enough time though, I come here to Toothless and fly until I can forget for just one moment about everything."

The dragon, probably because it had heard its name repeatedly in the last few minutes, cooed and nudged Hiccup softly in the side and received an absentminded pet in return. This dragon, and its rider, was a mistery ot Astrid that could easily compete with that of the gods.

"And why don't you just, you know, leave? Like you did on Berk?"

"And leave my mother all alone with Drago?" Hiccup shook his head. "No. And she won't leave without Cloudjumper, althoug we don't even know if he's still alive."

A cold breeze ran through the woods of the crater, making Astrid shiver; she hadn't noticed that she'd been that cold. The chill had crept so deep into her bones that the fire wasn't sufficient any longer to warm her up.

The dragon – Toothless, she reminded herself - watched her with an intensity that made her feel uncomfortable to say the least. He cocked his head to the side and didn't blink for a long moment.

"Not far from here is a cave I store supplies in. Maybe we'll find a blanket or something for you in there." Hiccup said with concern tinting his voice. He made an attempt to push to his feet, but Astrid stopped him.

"No, I'm fine." Her pride had already taken a toll on when she'd fallen into that gods-forsaken river and had to be dragged out by Hiccup; letting him help her again and see her more vulnerable than she'd like to be seen as wasn't something she was too fond of. She was a Viking, she grew up on Berk, the coldest heap of rocks in their world, she basically grew up being cold all the time. A little water on a chill autumn day wouldn't kill her if the harsh winters had never managed to do so.

Hiccup didn't seem convinced though. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Yeah sure, and Toothless here is actually an overgrown cat." He said dryly.

"I'm serious," she said, but couldn't surpress another fit of shivers shaking her now that the wind was picking up. Hiccup watched her struggle to regain her composure, but the gods didn't have mercy for her and her pride and send another harsh wind through the crater yet again. It was hopeless. But still she wouldn't budge.

The dragon huffed at her. Was that beast laughing at her? Then, a soft blow of heated air coated her for a few seconds until it had dissipated. Toothless did it again and then another time, huffing between particularly strong blows of wind to send warmth back into her half numb body in a way the fire between them hadn't been able to.

Astrid had to admit to herself, she had never before felt glad to have one of the fire-breathing beasts around her. Still she had to ask, "What is he doing?" Her gaze didn't leave the creature once. A mystery it was indeed.

"Warming you up since you're too stubborn to admit you are cold." Hiccup scratched his dragon-companion behind the ear-flaps and received a grateful coo in response. Silence fell on them once again, but strangely enough it wasn't all that uncomfortable as one might have thought. Hiccup had finally told her; not everything, but the most important steps in the last years since Berk. For now her curiosity was mostly satisfied. She still couldn't understand everything, but it seemed like they'd have more than enough time to work out the details.

Astrid pondered what he'd told her. How strange it must have been for him to meet his mother after growing up with the image of her killed at the claws of dragons. Astrid had already been shocked upon finding him alive and walking; and she hadn't had any reason to be emotionally affected by that. And still she had been and was in some way.

The dragon still blew hot air her way and soon enough Astrid found her clothes dried again for the most part, her hair also didn't feel like it was still sogging.

The fire was about to die down, but neither made any attempt to place more wood in it. They would have to go back to the city soon after all. Astrid dreaded the mere thought of having to dine at the Bludvist's mansion as Hiccup had told her earlier that day. It already felt like an eternity since he'd come to her father's ship when in reality it had been not even four hours ago.

Toothless grumbled and pushed to his feet, suddenly looking at the sky and wiggling his long black wings. The dragon made a series of strange grumbling and cooing noises and nudged Hiccup, who had also stood up with the support for his back gone.

"What is it with him?" Astrid didn't like the dragon's bahaviour at all. It didn't matter that Toothless had just helped her getting warm and dry again on his own accord, he still was a wild animal ready to kill them all in a moment's notice should he wish to do such a thing. She didn't trust the fire breathing reptile farher than she could throw it; which was not at all.

Hiccup danced out of the way of precariously flapping wings and a wagging tail. "He wants to go flying. He can't on his own, so when I'm here he usually is nagging me to take him on a flight. I'm actually pretty impressed that he was so patient until now." He looked back at her, mischief gleaming in his eyes. "Ever wondered what clouds feel like?"

Astrid's eyes widened. No. She was willing to listen to his absurde but obviously true stories. But flying on a dragon like he'd just implied? No, thank you very much, she certainly didn't have a death wish. Astrid glowered at him. "Forget it, Haddock. Forget it right now and don't even think about it."

"Forget about what?" He asked with sweet innocence coating his voice like honey. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Astrid." He took a few steps toward her, carefully avoiding dragon and fire.

Astrid stood up forcefully. "Oh yes, you do." She pointed a finger at him. "Forget. It."

Hiccup sighed and hung his head in defeat. "You are absolutely no fun, you know that?"

Astrid shrugged. She didn't care one bit whether he thought she was fun or boring; she would stay on the safe, solid ground where her axe and trees that needed some killing were and that was that. Nothing up for discussion here. "Go and fly your dragon before he hits me with his tail." She indeed had to duck to avoid the impatiently wagging tail of Toothless. She shot Hiccup a look. "Maybe you'll get yourself killed up in the air and all my problems will be solved and I can go back home." She didn't really mean it, but still couldn't resist the temptation to say it nonetheless; because teasing him was so much easier for her than truthfully admit that she indeed had this glimmer of hope still left that she could return home by some happenstance; it didn't even have to go such lengths as the one she had just voiced. But maybe...

Hiccup scoffed and put a hand over his heart in an overly dramatic way. "Ouch. And here I was thinking we were actually starting to get along." No it really shouldn't have to be his death that got her home in the end. Hiccup's grin faltered slowly and he grew solemn, like he was just about to tell her some other truth. "But it wouldn't solve any of your problems. Not really."

She definitely wouldn't like this. "How's that?" Too many questions were coming out of her mouth today. She was beginning to feel like an uneducated, stupid little girl.

"Your father already signed that contract making you an official member of Drago's household by law. Usually, that kind of contract would be signed after the ceremony, but there are exceptions to the rule. The wedding is just for Drago's amusement and our suffering, nothing more, nothing less. So even should I drop dead right now, you'd still be stuck here after all." His hands, which he'd used to further illustrate his lecture with grand gestures, dropped to his sides in defeat that hadn't just arose in that very moment. He was radiating the kind of defeat built up from years upon years of not being able to live your life the way you want it; and Astrid'd wasn't so sure that it had first started with Drago.

Astrid picked up her precious axe and gripped the handle thightly. "I'm gonna kill some trees. I...I meant it when I said you should go flying; I won't go anywhere." She laughed a dry, bitter laugh. "I have nowhere to go anyway." She sounded more helpless than she'd intended to. Right now, the full impact of her fate hit her. Really hit her. Hard. And if she'd soundedd this helpless to herself she didn't even want to know what Hiccup was seeing playing on her face right now.

Thankfully though, he just nodded. He got on the back of the impatient black dragon and, with one powerfull beat of Toothless's wings, they were shooting off into the sky. Astrid blinked once and they were already just a black speck in the far distance disappearing into the bank of clouds overhead.

Astrid stared after them for a minute or so, even though they had long since left her sight. She took a deep, steadying breath and hurled her axe at the nearest tree with as much force as she could muster, letting all the bundled-up emotions she'd collected throughout the day loose.

#

Up in the air, soaring through the clouds and racing with the wind, Hiccup felt how the tension he'd carried with him for the past week fell from him with every mighty beat of Toothless' wings. They twirled and spun and fell and rose again so high that the world underneath was just a blur of color and even the highest peaks of the mountains weren't grazing them even closely. Hiccup could still make out the crater where they'd left Astrid, but only barely so because one moment later they were inside the vastness of clouds again where there seemed to be no up or down, no right or left, no north or east or south or west, just the blue of the endless sky and the white and grey of the clouds shielding them from the world beneath them.

It was pure freedom, even though Hiccup knew it would only last so long until he had to set foot on the ground again and face his unpleasant reality once more.

Toothless looked back at him and cooed, asking what had sullen his mood. Hiccup patted his loyal friend and scratched that spot right where head met neck he knew Toothless loved being scratched at.

"I'm all right, bud. Don't you worry, right now we'll just keep flying and not think about anything." Hiccup closed his eyes and mentally pushed everything – every thought, every emotion – that would distract him from what precious little time he had left with his best friend away until his head was cleared for the moment; now he could fully concentrate on just flying. He opened his eyes again and grinned. "Let's try some stunts, shall we?"

Toothless screeched in delight, letting a small blast of plasma fly, beating his wings faster and faster; his special way of expressing excitement when he couldn't wag his tail that had once almost burned Hiccup's hair off and scorched his eyebrows after their first successful flight. Hiccup laughed and pressed the artificial tailfin into the position that would allow them maximum speed.

"I should have taken the time to change into my flightsuit," Hiccup thought to himself but was quick to push that thought away too. He'd have plenty of time to try out his flightsuit in the future, he would make sure of it.

The time they spent flying wasn't nearly enough to satisfy his need to feel the wind blowing in his face and the clouds turn to mist at his touch. It wasn't enough to make up for all the time he hadn't been able to visit Toothless and all those Hiccup knew were yet to come once he touched down on the earth again, but he would have to make do. He always did and Toothless, thanks to whatever god spoke the tongue of dragons, understood that he had to be patient. Their bond was still running deep despite the odds they had at maintaining this companionshipa and unlikely friendship. Hiccup could only start to imagine just how much deeper this bond would run could they see each other more than only once every few days, could they again live in a world where dragons weren't treated as enemies.

The image of the Dragon Sanctuary came to his mind, along with the fond memory of the short year they had spent almost every minute of the day with one another. Hiccup sighed deeply, but a small, sad smile formed on his lips. "What would I give for being at the Sancuary once again." He whispered into the wind his wish, knowing that it was very unlikely for something like that to happen anytime soon if even at all.

It wasn't long until they started their reluctant descend. The rich autum forest hidden in the mountain rage grew bigger and the landmarks inside the crater became visible. If there had been any doubts whispering in the back of his consciousnes that Astrid would hold true to her word and not just leave, it scattered completely once he laid eyes on her busywork from above.

Hiccup was well aware that, though she might have taken the truth better than he'd anticipated, she must still feel a kind of anger toward his life-choices. They had grown up hating and fearing dragons, and now he was trying to convince her that they weren't the vicious beasts history made them. He had seen the utter confusion and perplexity on her face when Toothless had used his fire-breath not to harm her, but to help her. She must think him the greatest traitor to mankind for deciding it was better to fly on a dragon than battle it like they'd learned to do from the moment they could walk. She must see him as the biggest disappointment because he had fooled all of Berk with his supposed succsess in the Kill Ring, with his little tricks that looked like he was good at fighting dragons when in reality they had been nothing more than a peaceful approach – if one oversaw the eel-incident – with the mighty creatures.

All that Hiccup read in the dismembered bushes and the one felled tree surrounding the fire place next to the stream. Drawing closer he spotted the blonde warrior sharpening her weapon-of-choice with a stone, sitting on the long trunk of said fallen tree, legs crossed underneath her lithe body. Even in a dress that normally wouldn't allow for much movement she could wreak havoc like a true valkyrie. He shouldn't be surprised by that, but still he was.

Hiccup felt a tingling in his chest and were his cheeks not already flushed from flying and the freezing air up above they would have flared up with a slight blush at the sight of Astrid Hofferson honing her axe. Oh, how he hated the crush he'd had on her for as long as he could remember in that moment. It was certainly making things more difficult and awkward for him than they had to be.

They touched down on the ground not a split second after Hiccup had finished that thought. Up close, he couldn't surpress the grin tugging on the corners of his lips. The trunk of the tree was marred with marks where Astrid's axe had struck and parts of it where chopped to pieces that would make excelent fuel for fire once the wood was dry along with the hacked undergrowth.

"Wow. You've been... busy." He said by way of greeting as he dismounted.

"I didn't get to use my axe in quite a while. I had to make up for lost time," she said him a quick look before turning her attention back to honing her weapon.

Hiccup, though he didn't voice it, could understand the concept of lost time and feeling the need to make up for it. After all, it was something he was constantly doing with Toothless. And his mother. Who was waiting for them to arrive at the manor.

A quick look at the position of the sun told him he'd been gone with Toothless longer than he'd thought. With quick hands he unbuckled the straps of Toothless' saddle and freed the dragon from the artificial tailfin. He should really get around to work on a mechanical one so Toothless would be free to roam to where ever he wished. But that would require a forge he could work in without raising suspicions. Hiccup shook his head to himself and instead focused on the task at hand again.

He wrapped up the bundle made of the saddle and the tailfin, tying it together securely so nothing would get damaged; making repair was about as difficult as creating entirely new ones.

"The dinner will start soon and we really shouldn't be late," he said. It was never a good to let a man like Drago wait when he'd explicitly demanded punctuality just this morning from Hiccup. And Hiccup knew better than to make such a mistake ever again in his life. He'd learned the hard way.

Astrid slid off her seat on the tree trunk and secured her axe on her back with a strap. "All right, then let's go." A sigh escaped her lips. "Even though I'd rather stay here, to be honest," she said and forcefully threw the stone she'd been using into the stream.

Hiccup wasn't sure whether she heard his muttered "Yeah, me too." But when he looked her in the eyes again for just a short moment, it seemed as though there was a connection between them that he couldn't explain just yet. Maybe it was just the shared resentment towards the upcoming family dinner, or maybe, if he was lucky, it was something that ran a bit deeper. But then they were on their way again and the brief moment had passed, leaving Hiccup to ponder over it.

 **A/N:**

So there it is! Chapter 8 and Astrid finally knows what's going on (although she doesn't really know how she feels about those two dorks yet); yey! No Hiccup and Drago drama yet, but we'll get there, oh we'll get there! I mean the dreaded pretentious dinner with Drago is the next thing that'll happen!

TBH, I hate this chapter, it's a transitional chapter, a lot of talking had to be done, now real action whatsoever, and I'm just glad it's done.

I just noticed, or rather my friend pointed it out to me, that 'the city' in which this all takes place doesn't have a name! _How in Thor's name could I have possibly forgotten to name the most important place in the whole story?!_ Well, I did and now I don't know 1) how to fix it and 2) how to name it... and I really don't like referring to it with 'the city' or 'the town' all of the time, that just sounds...strange. Every freaking place, even if it only got like 2 houses, has its own name! So now I would like YOU to maybe suggest some names for this damn place from which I'll then choose one (either randomly or if I like one particularly much I'll take that; we'll see). So, it would be really, really great if you guys could help me out on this!

Again thanks to all the people who commented on the last chapter (and all the ones before that too of course)! Every time I scroll through the comment section I tear up a bit. You gyus are so sweet, and precious, and I don't deserve any of you! I love you all so much! And I break into evil cackling whenever I see something like 'what's up with Hiccup and Drago?' Seriously you guys, it's the most evil cacke pouring out of me; Ruff and Tuff have taught me well ;)

See you next chapter and take care! :)


	9. A Dinner and A Date

The trip back wasn't nearly as agonizingly long as the one they had taken just hours ago. Or at least that's what it felt like.

They had stopped by Hiccup's storage-cave and Astrid had cought a quick glimpse of various crates and shelves and baskets, all stuffed to the brim with tools, parchment, leather, and other things she couldn't identify quickly enough while Hiccup hung the saddle on a fastening on the stone wall.

In a way, the departure from Toothless had been a heartwrenching sight. It was clear that there was a connection between the dragon and the young man, but up until that moment Astrid hadn't known just how deep this strange friendship must run. The sadness was equally showing on both faces; it was odd to see such a strong emotion on the features of a dragon and yet there was no mistaking it for anything else. The love those two were showing with simple, but meaningful, words uttered and soft coos in response followed by affectionate nudges and touches had been more than Astrid could bear to look at. She felt out of place and like an intruder in their little world in the crater.

So she turned away and shoved down the sympathy she was starting to have for Toothless. He was still a dragon, for Odin's sake! She wasn't supposed to feel sympathy for a dragon and its rider! And yet she couldn't bring herself to hate either of them. Not after what Hiccup had told her and what she had seen with her own eyes.

So now, they were back on their horses, the gates of the city already in sight. When she came to port there had been no sign, no indication of the name of this place, and the map of her father hadn't even shown a marking for a city anywhere near where they had landed. None of the sailors in port had given them a name for the city they had just entered. Those they had asked also hadn't known and were just as clueless as Astrid and her father.

But now that they were entering from the other side of the town, there was a large sign pointing towards the gates on which in simple letters two words were written; one in a script Astrid couldn't decipher, and the other one in norse runes. 'Greuelorm'

"Greuelorm?"

Hiccup looked at her with confusion on his face. "What? Don't tell me you didn't know the name of the city you've been in for the past, what? Two weeks?"

"Well, everyone calls it just 'the city'. How am I supposed to know if no one ever told me? And our map didn't mention it either." The urge to cross her arms in front of her chest was strong, but she surpressed it with the reins still in her hands. "Why does no one call it by its name anyway?"

"Because it's the largest city within the area." Hiccup shrugged, then gestured to the sign, smiling crookedly. "And because many think the name sounds rather... ridiculous."

"Yeah, it really does."

=0=

Hiccup said they had still enough time to quickly stop by her father's ship so she could change into clothes that hadn't taken a bath in mountain stream. And while she was at it, Astrid also took the time to rebraid her hair and generally make herself presentable again. A thin layer of perfume to her neck and wrists covered the light smell of sweat that clung to her since her impromptu training session. She had washed the majority off with the basin of clean water in her chamber, but without a real bath with soap and a good scrub there was only so much she could do; and she didn't feel particularly inclined to get soaked yet again. She was about to pull one of her finer attires – yet anothe dress, what a surprise there – over her head when she noticed the bundle sitting on the pillow of her bed.

Frowning, she set the garnment aside for the moment and took a look at the object.

It was a package wrapped in soft brown fabric, nothing fancy, just the usual to cover presents with. A note sat atop it, written in her father's hand.

 _My sweet, sweet darling girl._

 _I know I made a mistake. I wanted to give this to you in person today, but you weren't around when I came back and then had to leave for the Bludvist manor. This won't even nearly make up for what I did and I know you won't forgive me yet, but when I saw it I thought it would suit you the best, my dear._

 _Love, Dad._

The message sent a bolt to her heart. Her father was right, she wouldn't forgive him yet, couldn't forgive him yet. He had gambled her away like she was some kind of object with a prize tag. He had taken her life away from her, her freedom, her independence. She wasn't sure if she could forgive him at all. She had made it a point in mostly ignoring her father for the past week after he had woken from his stupor and she had told him what he had done.

She set the message aside, completely out of her view, and removed the cloth, revealing the front of a neathly folded gown. Astrid gasped silently at the delicate embroidery on the neckline. The stitches were neat and so tiny it looked like it was painted on rather than stitched. The thread was of a purple so rich it shimmered in hues of red and blue in the faint light of her chamber and stood out againt the pale blue reminding her of the geraniums that used to grow in her mother's garden.

Astrid picked the gown up, its skirt falling in soft folds to the floor, waving like gentle sea. The arms were shorter than what was commonly worn, and the bodice sewn to fit tighly against the skin.

She knew she was running out of time, she knew she should just leave it in her chamber and put on the dress she'd originally had in mind of wearing, but the soft fabric in her hands was just begging for her to try it on. A girlish feeling of excitement was flowing through her just from looking at the beautiful gown. It must have cost her father a little fortune to buy.

Damning the consequences of running late, Astrid turned the gown over, quickly opened the buttons on its backside – some kind of purple stone hewn and polished into buttons – and shimmied into it.

She had been right – the bodice fit perfectly and fell into the skirt at the swell of her hips. The neckline, she noticed now, was cut to gently graze he colarbone all the way to where it met either of her shoulders in a soft curve. The arm-pieces ended just underneath her ellbow, leaving most of her forearms free to be touched by the chill air. When she moved the skirts whispered and hissed against the wood of the boat, billowing up to her ankles when the turned around at once.

Through her excitement over her new gown, Astrid had overlooked two other items that had laid hidden under it, but which now came into her focus.

A belt and collar, both made of fine leather and decorated with a single metal skull each – that of the belt remarkably bigger than that hanging from the collar.

She put both on and found that the skull on the collar rested in the indent of her collarbone. The rather broad belt, after some adjustment, was tight around her middle and accentuated the curve of her waist in a most femine way. Weren't it for the skulls that looked suspiciously like the ones she usually wore on her clothing, she would have thought the outfit too girly, too littlle like the fiece warrior she was. But the skulls gave it exctly the sort of edge she liked. She sighed; everything was better with a few skulls.

A delightful giggle dared to escape her mouth and she quickly clamped a hand over it. She loved it. It wouldn't make her forgive her father, but it softened the blow a little bit.

A knock sounded on the door to her chamber. "Astrid?", Hiccup asked. "What are you taking so long? I thought you'd just wanted to change real quick."

So she indeed had taken way longer than she had anticipated. Deciding she'd just keep her current new attire on, she went to open her bedroom door. It was too late to change into anything else now anyway.

When she swung the door open, Hiccup was waiting in front of it, his arms crossesd in front oh him and a light frown on his face that disappeared the second she stepped out of the chamber and into the daylight lit hallway. His eyes grew wide and his arms dropped to dangle limply at his sides; he wore an expression of surprised astonishment. He let his gaze wander over her body almost shamelessly, taking in every curve and stopping a tad bit longer on the swell of her breasts, while opening his mouth just to close it again only a moment later like a fish on the dry.

Astrid cleared her voice once. "Eyes up here, Haddock.", she said swallowing down the smug grin building up despite herself. As much as she liked knowing she could knock someones breath out just by dressing up a bit, Hiccup didn't need to know that.

A bright blush spread over his cheeks and continued to his ears, tinting them a bright red. Flustered by having been cought staring, he snapped his eyes to he ceiling and scratched at the back of his neck. Grimacing he said, "Sorry, I just didn't expect to see...", he waved his hand at her in an up and down motion, "you in something that...", there was more waving of his hands, now both in action while he was searching for a way to phrase himself. At the very last, when her eyebrow rose higher and higher at his awkward fumbling for words, he glanced at her again, her face this time to his credit, and gave her an apologetic, sheepish, crooked smile. "Let's just say this dress is very formfitting."

"Uh-hu."

"And it's not what's usually worn around here."

"Uh-hu."

"And you just took me by surprise."

"Uh-hu."

"A-and it looks good on you."

"Good?"

"N-No! I mean, yes. You look really beautiful, alright?"

"Uh-hu."

"Aw, come on! Now you are only doing it to see me cringe at myself."

She grinned up at him. Of course she was only doing it to make him cringe; he was really cute when he was all flustered and waving his hands and - No! Bad Astrid! Do not go there!

Neither was Hiccup Haddock cute in any way, nor did she like him staring at her like he was mapping her body in his mind.

Except that he definitely was, and she kind of did.

Astrid closed the door behind her and stepped around him, letting her hips swing just barely enough to catch him swallowing and casting his eyes sky-wards when she looked over her shoulder. "You coming? I thought there was a dinner to attend to." Oh, she totally liked seeing him flustered.

She thought she heard him muttering under his breath something like, "Damned Valkyrie with those damned hips and those damned breasts and -", he went on about damned things about her, but she pretended she'd heared nothing but the crashing of the small waves against the ship, the cries of the seagulls overhead, and the busy chatter of the people at port, and kept silently smiling to herself. Traitor to Vikings and friend of dragons or not, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third had cought her eye against her will; and not just with his good looks.

Now, if only there wasn't this stupid contract robbing them of any decisions they might wanted to make for themselves.

#

The manor of Drago Bludvist was bigger than Astrid had thought it would be. Sure, Hiccup had already mentioned it was big and so had implied the other mansions just outside the city belonging to the other wealthy men of Yorm, but compared to even that of Viggo Grimborn, Drago's second, and his brother Ryker, who comanded some sort of fleet, Drago's manor and all the other buildings belonging to it was huge. Astrid was used to little cottages and houses made of wood, easy to replace and repair with the dragon raids happening around the Barbaric Archipelago. Most houses within the inner, protected circle of the city of Yorm were also build in the usual wood structure. Drago and the wealthy though had decided to make an extra statement by having their homes made of stone; durable, big, and impressive.

Passing through the archway of the chest high wooden fence, Astrid couldn't help but gape at the vast house towering before her. There were two other houses on the estate, flanking the main building. They were significantly smaller and not so much build broad and high, but long.

Hiccup, having noticed her astonishment, explained then. "The big one is the main house, as you might have guessed. The two beside it are where the personel lives." He pointed at them respectively. "One for the maids, and the other for the stableboys and who ever else Drago hires for doing the hard work."

"You have personel?" She asked more herself than him. "Of course you have personel. Why should the mightiest man of the city do all the work himself when he can just order people around to do it for him."

Hiccup grimaced. "Yeah, it takes some getting used to having people buzzing all around you, or coming into your room just because they want to clean and stuff. I mean who needs privacy anyway? Totally overrated if you ask me." Sarcasm was tinting his voice as he spoke, making it obvious to her just how uncomfortable that made him.

Riding their mounts into the patio between the three buildings, Hiccup continued his little oral presentation of the estate.

"Anyway, the stables are right behind the barracks of the men, the herb garden is behind that of the maids, and we also have a big garden right behind the mansion just for the sake of it." He said that so casually and completely lacking emotions that Astrid began to wonder.

Did he not feel any attatchment for the place he was calling home for four years now? Was there nothing about this giant ass place in the city that he liked? Was that crater in the mountains really the only refuge he had here?

A pang of empathy shot her heart; he was trapped in this city just as much as she was now. Probably even more so with Toothless and his mother here as well, while Astrid was pretty sure her father would set sail as soon as he'd finished his buisness here with Drago. Which would also be the day of her wedding, or at least the day after.

The moment they dismounted one of the mentioned stableboys was already coming to bring the horses to the stables and take care of them, greeting them by inclining his head and saying a few formalties. To Astrid's surprise the boy - he couldn't be older than fifteen - addressed her as a Lady; which she wasn't even nearly, thought she was too taken aback to break this to him. He looked already flustered enough at her sight.

"Poor boy", Hiccup said smirking, "You just corrupted him, Astrid. He won't be able to look any girl in the eyes now for a while."

"What? I did nothing to him. He was gone before I could even say hello!"

"Exactly. You corrupted him." Hiccup was way too amused by this for Astrid's liking. Mischief was gleaming in his eyes the way it had when he had tried talking her into taking a flight on Toothless with him.

Astrid threw her hands up in exasperation. "What do you mean 'I corrupted him'?"

When he raked his eyes over her this time, he wasn't flustered at all. And he took his sweet time with it, letting her know with just a look and one eyebrow raised what exactly he meant. "Well, I dare say he saw what I see."

She gasped at his bluntness and socketed his shoulder in response. "You men are such pigs!"

He laughed, rubbing where her fist had connected with his shoulder. "Hey, you were the one who decided to wear that dress. Don't be mad now when you get attention for it." He turned for the entrance of the main building.

Following him, she said just loud enough for him to still hear, "Like I said: pigs!" Maybe she should have worn the other dress after all.

The interior of the manor house was as impressive as it implied from the outside. Just the entrance hall itself was larger than her house back on Berk; if it was even still standing. In one corner stood a small table with a couple of simple chairs scattered around it, on the wall next to the frontdoor was a display of various ornate weapons that were no question only there to impress anyone who entered and remind them of the wealth and power of the master of the house and city. Astrid even saw an axe with a hilt shining in silver and gold and a blade embedded with gem stones in its center; a beautiful weapon with little use in an actual fight. If Drago could afford displaying a large collection of weapons like this one just in his entry way, then Astrid didn't want to know how large his fortune really was. She'd probably faint just from hearing about the sum of it.

Two doors led from the entrance hall to the other areas of the house; one cosed, the other wide open, revealing a hallway with a set of stairs at its end.

Hiccup led her through the open one. When Astrid asked what was behind the closed door, he said that that was a shortcut to where the personel worked, namely the kitchen and the washing room. "Guests usually never see that area, but I think it's the only place in this house not imposterous and fake."

They went up the staircase, past hunting trophies watching them from empty eye sockts; some stuffed and preserved, others were only skulls, horns, or single teeth. Astrid spotted not only simple forest animals, but also remnants of dragons of various sizes and forms. Underneath every trophy was a small placette naming it and the date on which it was brought down.

Astrid wasn't foreign to hunting trophies - she herself had a small chest with parts of animals she had killed, mostly talons or claws, but she also still had the horn of the first Zippleback she had killed. But what she saw now in the halls of Drago Bludvist's manor, the gruesome depiction of arrogant victories, was just cruel. It felt as if he was shoving htem directly in her face, saying 'look how easy it was to kill this Nadder or that bear! Just imagine what I could do to you'.

"This is aweful.", she said to Hiccup when they entered another hallway on the upper level. In an alcove under a window was a pedestral presenting a large midnight blue egg. Its upper half was broken open and when she peeked into it, despite the dreadful feeling spreading in her stomach, Astrid had to swallow the vomit rising up her throat back down.

The skelleton of a baby dragon, held together in its original form by a metal construction on the inside, lay in it, curled in on itself like it was sleeping. A quick look at the placette beneath the egg confirmed Astrids rising suspicion; she was looking at the shattered, dead egg of a Night Fury.

She looked away and took a shuddering breath. Pictures of Toothless came to her mind, the only other Night Fury she had ever encountered; alive as well as dead.

This morning she had awoken dreading dragons the way she always had, now she couldn't help but cringe at the thought of that one Night Fury, who had warmed her up and acted as a puppy around Hiccup, hurt by the man willing to crush dragon eggs and presenting them to the world as a sign of his superiority over life.

"You understand now, why I don't want Drago to find Toothless at all costs, do you?", Hiccup asked her. His gaze was directed at the egg, his eyes filled with sorrow and anger. "He would do far worse things to him than he'd done to that egg or any of the others you saw. I won't let that happen."

Astrid lay her hand on his arm, the touch making him look at her. She didn't say anything, didn't think there was anything she could say. She only gave him a small, sad smile. Hiccup retuned it, though the slight tilt of his lips didn't reach his eyes either. He lay his hand over hers and gently squeezed it. He didn't let go, not even when her hand slid from his arm and they proceeded on their way through the house. She didn't look at any more trophies, too disgusted by them and the man owning them.

Another hallway down and a turn to the right and they were standing in front of an ornated wooden door behind which Astrid could hear soft voices talking. Hiccup eventually let go of her hand and she kind of imediately missed the firm, warm hold he had given her. He knocked, another, lighter rhythm than the one he had used at the tavern when he had entered Drago's private quarters there. He also didn't wait to be let in, this time. This was his home, he could enter and leave rooms as he pleased; knocking was only a formality.

The room behind the door was large, longer rather than broad. A long table was set up with tableware and candles lit the room, even though a row of windows let in the last rays of sun for the day. The luxurious flare surrounding the whole estate was especially present in the dining room. It was clear that Drago hadn't spared any expenses.

A tall, lean woman in her middle ages with incredibly long brown hair that was twisted into two thick braids down her back was standing at the head of the table, her back to them, but her voice still carried effortlessly through the room, even though Astrid couldn't understand a word of the foreign language. She was talking to some other, plumper woman who only answered with short replies and nodding her head at the instructions she was given. At last, she curtsied and disappeared into another, less impressive door. She must be one of the maids, Astrid thought.

The tall woman turned to them and Astrid imediately recognized the similarities with her son. The same high cheek bones, grass green eyes, and Hiccup must've also inherited her lean height. The kind expression on her face also wasn't unlike Hiccup's; should the young man decide to wear it, that was.

"I take this is the young woman the whole fuss this week was about?", Valka said as way of greeting. She strode towards them, hands straightening down her fine dark green gown. Internaly, Astrid sighed in thankfulness for not being the only one a bit dressed up for this ridiculous event.

Beside her, Hiccup scratche his neck. "Yeah, um," he shot Astrid a look, "Mom, this is Astrid. Astrid, this is my mom, Valka"

Valka reached out an took Astrid's hands in hers in a warm gesture. "It's nice to meet you, Astrid."

Astrid smiled politely. She still had mixed feelings about the Valka Haddock that had abandoned her son when he was just a baby, but maybe meeting the woman behind those actions would clear things up, make them understandable. "It's nice meeting you, too."

Valka let go of her and turned to her son, a smal frown appearing on her face. "Why do you look so unruly again, Hiccup? Go, "she shooed him towards the door, "Go and make yourself presentable."

"But," he started but Valka was pushing against his shoulders now, turning him around. "What about-"

"Oh, don't you worry. I will take care of Astrid. I'm sure we'll find something to talk about."

Hiccup yielded and let himself be carted out of the dining room, but still he fought his mother verbally. "That's what I'm worried about, mom. You two will be teaming up against me in no time."

"Ha! Maybe you'd finally be useful, then.", Valka exclaimed and shut the door behind a rather grump looking Hiccup. Astrid had to surpress the giggle silently shaking her chest. Valka shook her head at the footsteps sounding down the hallway until they were to far away to be heared.

The older woman exhaled noisily and gave her attention to Astrid. "You must know that I love my son very much, but sometimes he needs to get his head whacked. Literally."

Astrid grinned, recalling how she'd threatened him with her axe just this morning to get him to talk; not that it had really done anything beyond confusing her further. "Oh, I've made my experiences with that already."

Valka laughed a light laugh that quickly died out into a sigh "Hach, It'll be nice having another woman around. Men sometimes just don't understand. And are exhausting to be around all the time on top of that, too."

Astrid's own smile crumbled. At once the purpose of her visit here came back to her. Over meeting Toothless, finding out about Hiccup's true departure from Berk, and seeing their unique friendship, Astrid had forgotten that she was supposed to marry this dragon-loving dork. She would be living here, in these very halls with the cruelest of trophies. Her throat tightened and she had to avert her eyes from the woman looking at her with such kindness. This wasn't what she had wanted for herself at all.

Slender fingers tilted her chin up until Astrid saw Valka standing right in front of her, not in her personal bubble, but near enogh that she could see the streaks of grey weaving through the other woman's hair. Soft wrinkles textured the skin around her green eyes – more of a fir green, Astrid noticed now. She was older than she looked at first glance, but the age and wisdom lay particularly in her eyes that spoke of all she had experienced in live.

"I know this is hard for you, and not at all what you want.", Valka said with comprehension and sympathy. "I've been in your place when I wed Drago, only that I had something I was protecting with that. You were dragged into this against your will. Hiccup knows that, too." Valka swayed back, giving her space to think.

"I- I just always thought I would be a shieldmaiden, not a wife. Back home I declined proposals, here I don't even get a say in things." Astrid brushed her bangs out of her face only to have them fall back into place again.

"Did you and Hiccup talk about this already?"

Astrid shook her head and looked at the massive wooden door, wondering when he'd be back. "Not yet. There... were other things we had to get out of the way first." She didn't know how much Valka knew about her coming from Berk and growing up with Hiccup. Hiccup could've told his mother she came from Berserk for all she knew. But it became clear that she needn't worry about that.

"Seeing him again after so long isn't easy, huh?" Valka smirked a little. Before Astrid could ask how she knew, the answer was already on the way. "I saw your father already. I remembered him from Berk, but I don't think he remembers me. Even being the wife of the chief you can remain relatively unseen."

Astrid remembered something Hiccup had told her that first day. 'Drago and Berk don't go along well'; she had told her father as much the day after his drunken escapade so he wouldn't babble it acidentally. And now they were at Bludvist manor, with the master at home, and Valka spoke freely about the island she came from. Despite Drago's aversion for it.

Astrid nodded. "He's changed a lot," she finally answered Valka's question, forgoing the side remark for the moment.

"He grew up, that's all, Valka laughed lightly. "He isn't a boy anymore, Astrid."

This time Astrid had to shake her head and frown. "I meant in his behaviour. There's just this ... bitterness about him that hasn't been there before; not to this extend. And all the anger he tries to hide. He never used to be so confident, either, except when he used his damn sarcasm. I grew up around this awkward, dorky kid that always scewed up. When I look at now, it's hard to find that kid again." Astrid wanted to ramble on and on about how exactly Hiccup had changed from her perspective; not just in his physical appearance, but rather the way he acted now as opposed to back when they were kids.

But maybe it really was just that; he was a man now, not a boy. He had grown up. But Astrid couldn't help but think that most of his changes didn't stem from that, but rather the poisonous environment he was living in with a man ruling over him who collected broken dragon eggs with the hatchilings still inside for the fun of it.

Before the women could elaborate further on the matter that was Hiccup Haddock, the young man in question entered the dining room again, dressed in a new set of clothes. The attire he had changed into didn't differ much from the one he'd worn before, only that the fabrics looked way more expensive than what must be his usual choice of clothes. He had ditched the vest he'd worn this morining completely, though, leaving him in a simply cut, but fitting tunic, a pait of dark pants, and clean leather boots. He didn't look as formal as his mother or Astrid, but somehow he still managed to make it look classy.

Hiccup must have noticed the abrupt silence weighing down the room, because he looked back and forth between the two women, arching an eyebrow suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"

Valka was the first one to shake her head no. "Everything is fine, dear. We were just talking about how you failed to tell me Astrid and you grew up together." That wasn't really the truth, but Astrid decided to roll with it. After all, it was something that cought her interest as well. He'd had a whole week to tell his mother, whom he'd implied he was close with, that Drago had engaged him to someone from his past; something that was kind of important if he and Valka wanted to keep Berk a secret. So why hadn't he? Astrid couldn't figure Hiccup if her life dependet on it.

Hiccup crossed his arms in front of his chest and the fabric of his tunic stretched over his broad shoulders and slightly toned arms, making it clear, that his toothpick years were over evern though he was still far from being buff.

"I was preoccupied with trying to get Drago to drop this whole ordeal. It must have slipped my mind." He shrugged, not at all bothered.

"Still, a little warning would have been nice before I ran into Leif," Valka scolded him. "What if he had recognized me? I would have had to come up with some story on the spot. And you know how suspicious Drago is already. He would have noticed something was off."

Astrid watched Hiccup cringe. "I hadn't thought about that." He grimaced apologetically. "I'm sorry, mom."

Valka sighed. "Just-" They didn't get to know what Valka had wanted to tell her son.

Loud, booming voices filled the hallway like thunder in a silent night. The laughter crackling lightning, illuminating the sudden, cautious silence clouding over the dining room once again. The door banged open when Drago Bludvist entered the room quickly followed by Leif Hofferson.

The master of the house was clad in all black matching his dark dreadlocks and his shady persona perfectly. And now that she saw him standing an at his full height, Astrid decided that the humongous estate mirrored his towering statur. In the fading daylight Drago looked like the impersonation of mercyless power and death, and she decided that her foolish father had gotten lucky when Drago had only asked for her after the gamble her father could have lost his life with. It was a wonder to her that this man hadn't killed him for gamling without having enough to gamble with in the first place. Any other man would have. But no other man had the ulterior motives Drago had; even if she didn't know what they were just yet.

When he walked, his left arm caught the light of the setting sun. At first, Astrid thought he just wore armour over his arm, but the unnatural stiffness of the limb reminded her of that of a prosthesis. The realization that Drago Bludvist had metal for an arm only made him look even more fearsome.

Her father on the other hand looked impalingly dull in comparison to Master Bludvist. His clothes, though certainly expensive and fine, couldn't match with the attire of a man of Drago's wealth. And the expression on his face told her he was intimidated at the least of the other man, although he tried hard to conceal it with cameradery laughter and a lot of agreeing talk when he anserwed Drago. He tried not to fall out of grace, so much was clear.

And Drago only smiled at him like a hawk seizing up his prey.

The two men came to stand at their little group, and Astrid hadn't noticed how Hiccup had taken a stand right next to her until her shoulder brushed his arm slightly when she moved to face the men. She shot a quick, surprised look at him, noting how he had taken on kind of a protective stance, concealing her slightly from his stepfather's view. Any other time she would have told him off, that she didn't need his protection and was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. But then again, Drago did intimidate her a good bit and secretly she was glad for the silent comfort coming from Hiccup. Though she would never admit it out loud.

Drago greeted his wife and stepson before he turned his attention on her. "Leif, you never properly intodruced me to your darling daughter. The last time we met was rather... unfortunate."

Her father cleared his voice, "Of course. Pardon my mindlessness, Drago." He walked over to her and lay one hand on her shoulder, pushing her forward gently, but not without purpose, separating her from Hiccup's calming presence. "This is my daughter Astrid. My first and only child."

"Astrid," Drago nodded in a way of greeting and drew his thin lips into a calculating smile. "How nice seeing you again. And under much better conditions, don't you think?"

Astrid swallowed and inclined her head curtly. "I can only agree with that, sir," she wrenched out of her mouth, trying to sound as polite as possible, and she prayed to every god she could think of that her voice didn't betray her. "The tavern was a bit too smelly and loud, for my taste."

"Ah yes, and let's not forget the surprise engagement." Drago thew a look at Hiccup, a certain challenge gleaming in his eyes. "I hope you already showed your future bride around a bit?" Astrid tensed. It still hadn't really sunken in that she was to marry Hiccup. She didn't think it really would until they were standing before the gods, asking them to bless this union.

Astrid noticed how Hiccup had also drawn back his shoulders a bit further, his jaw set, cold anger in his eyes. "Only a bit, but yes."

"A bit? But you were gone with her for the better part of the afternoon."

"We've had a few things to discuss.

"So you are already aquainted, then."

"As much as one afternoon allows, yes." Hiccup challenged Drago to pry further with his gleaming eyes. But the older man just hummed and then turned his attention elsewhere again - to Valka, namely.

"The dinner will be served soon, I take?"

The woman questioned nodded sharply. "We could already take a seat. The maids should be finished every minute now." She gestured towards the table and led their little dining party towards the seats with the set up cuttlery.

Of course Drago took the seat at the head of the table, overlooking them all with his hawk like eyes. Before he sat down, though he drew back the chair at his right, allowing Valka to sit down gracefully while he slid it underneath her. It was the fist gentlemanly thing Astrid had seen him do. And it apparently got Hiccup ideas.

He was at her side again faster than she could blink. He mirrored Drago's action, pulling back her chair for her before her hand touched the backrest. He gestured for her to sit, smiling at her with that crooked smile she'd come to appreciate throughout the day. He didn't say anything when she arched her eyebrow at him, so neither did she. Astrid rolled her eyes with more amusement than annoyance and took the offered seat. When he slid the chair underneath her, he leaned slightly leaned forward over her shoulder and whispered into her ear, his moving lips concealed from the others by her head. "Try to play along and it'll be over faster."

Astrid dipped her head to show him she'd understood, pretending to be examining the folds of her gown while she smoothed them down.

Hiccup straightened and walked around the table to sit down himself; directly opposite of her and next to his mother.

Astrid's father, meanwhile, had sat down at Drago's left, starting up their previous conversation abouts ships and their value again.

It would be a long evening, Astrid thought with a silent sigh.

=0=

The last course served left Astrid feeling stuffed to the brim with food more delicious than she could have imagined. The wine that went along with the food complimented each and every bite she'd taken. One little piece more and she would roll out of the room, that, she was sure of.

She had mostly listened to the conversations buzzing around her, only speaking when she'd been asked directly.

The atmosphere was relatively relaxed and calm, the conversations hopping merrily from one topic to the next without a pause, though mostly Valka took it upon herself to change it when a certain tension tried to overtake. Astrid was glad the other woman was there to mediate between the Hofferson and the Bludvist patriarch when they began to disagree; she didn't think she could have done the same thing with such effortlessness.

"So," Drago said, clearing his voice to gain their undivided attention. "Earlier today, Leif and I decided on a date for the wedding." The words cut like knives through the air, leaving Astrid holding her breath and going rigid.

She hadn't forgotten what this all was about; Drago had made enough references throughout the whole evening. But talking about being engaged without her consent and talking about the wedding were two completely different levels of discomfort. She had just come kind of at terms with being engaged to Hiccup, but she hadn't let her thoughts wander to the consequences of this engagement. The ceremony, the festivities afterward, the wedding night- she stopped her thoughts then and there, not wanting to think about _that_ particular detail.

She let the air go shakily. _Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. In, out._ She repeated the words like a mantra in her head, trying to keep her cool. She laid her hands flat on the surface of the table, pressing down slightly to give herself some stability when slowly the world around her seemed to crumble again. She couldn't bear to look at Hiccup sitting right in front of her, she didn't want to see the reaction showing on his face. All she could do was stare at the wall behind Drago. But out of the corner of her eye she could see how the hand Hiccup had around his goblet of wine tightened around it, the knuckles whitening. His othe hand was curled into a tight fist, which he moved from the open display of the table to his lap underneath it.

"We both agreed it'd be best to do it fast and painless, so the preparations won't take too long. The next moon is starting in five days, so that's what we decided upon for the wedding date."

"A new moon to start a new life." Astrid's father mused, swirling his wine in his goblet. Astrid looked at him with a face hewn from stone, ridden of any emotion though she couldn't control the angry blush warming her cheeks. She hoped the candle light concealed it enough for no one to notice. "Doesn't that sound lovely, my dear?"

She opened her mouth to tell him just how absolutely unlovely she found the symbolism of that date when something else dawned on her. Her moon's blood would be starting in two or three days, but there was no way she would be finished bleeding on the day of the new moon cycle. That realization pumped the blood in her cheeks even more, but with embarrasment mixed into the bunch of emotions inside her now as well.

"Absolutely not," she exclaimed. She wanted to clamp a hand over her treacherous mouth for betraying her, but that would only make her mortification over herself even worse.

Time seemed to slow as everyone halted to give her wary looks. Her father's face flushed in anger.

"I think my daughter's had a drink too many," he said to Drago, though his narrowed eyes never lerft her. "Otherwise she'd be agreeing with us."

Astrid dug her finger into the hard wood of the table. Trying to regain her composure, she straightened her back and kept her voice as steady as she could; which didn't work at all.

"N-No. I just-" From her lack of better knowledge she shot a desperate look to Valka, hoping the other woman would, by some miracle, understand her dilemma and come to her aid. She'd try to get Hiccup to help her get their fathers to move the date, but Astrid doubted he'd catch on to it. He looked just as confused as the other two men in the room, though he lacked the disdain.

"Don't you think a mere five days is still a bit soon? It does take time to get everything ready even with a simplistic, fast ceremony and small feast. Or do you expect Astrid to wear just any randomly choosen wedding dress? Even I had the seamstresses make me one for the occasion, Drago. And it wasn't even my first wedding. But it will be her first one!" Valka chimed in without missing a beat. A gratefull sigh escaped Astrid and when all eyes were set on Valka, shes mouthed a 'thank you' her way. She'd make sure to explain her troubles later on to the woman. Astrid felt like not all the gods had turned from her just yet.

Drago, and Leif, too, wore confusion on their faces for Valka's sudden outburst. Hiccup merely looked at his mother with suspicion, but then shrugged.

"I also don't see the need to rush anything." He resumed to take a sip of wine. "And if you want to do this properly and we don't get to decide anything else, then at least let us have a say in the date."

Drago huffed, waving his remaining hand. "Very well. We'll give it a little more time. But not too much, lest you get funny ideas and make a run for it." He considered not only his stepson, but also Astrid with the last part.

"How about a fortnight from the day you set up that contract?" Valka proposed. "That would be nine days from now, am I right? The seamstresses should be able to make something until then. And I can take care of the rest of the preparations."

There was a moment in which Drago just stared at his wife, swirling his wine while he pondered over her suggestion. Then, at last, he made an approving grunt. "Nine days from now, then. Is that all right, Leif?"

"Well, I have scheduled business in- OW!" Astrid kicked her father's leg underneath the table for trying to make excuses. He did not have scheduled business anywhere. She'd made sure of that after he'd gotten her into this mess.

Leif glared at her to which she responded by giving him one of her sweetest smiles and kicking him again for good messure. He grumbled. "I wouldn't try arguing with your wife now. Or my daughter."

Drago laughed a low laugh. "Wise man. Never underestimate the womenfolk, my friend. The same goes for you, son."

"Oh, I would have never guessed that, father, thank you very much for the advice." Hiccup said dryly, sarcasm pouring from his mouth like water from a spring.

Despite herself, Astrid had to conceal the grin tugging at the corners of her mouth with her drink and stiffle the bubbling chuckle rising in her chest. She couldn't decide wether it was the alcohol buzzing through her blood or simply Hiccup's sarcastic nature that dared her to laugh at his humour. 'It's the alcohol', she told herself, 'purely the alcohol and not him'.

 **A/N:**

So, there it was. The Dinner.

And the city finally has a name! I threw two ideas together and out came Greuelorm (Yorm from Canadaball (I gotta say, that I still don't really know what yorm is supposed to be but it has a cool ring to it) and Greuel which was my brothers idea (it has a meaning but I won't tell))

I realized that it won't be easy for me to update this thing regularly anymore, because I just started my last year of school and am already writing a lot of exams before october. I have a really bussy schedule right now, but I hope that I'll be able to update at least every other month... I would say once a month, but I don't wanna dissapoint anyone with false promises. But I definitely won't abandon this story! It's driving me nuts at times and makes me question my life choices, but it's my baby.

Until next time! With wedding preparations and - if the characters play along- some Hiccstrid in the air. Because let's face it: they are already attracted to each other. No love or anything yet, but they have the attraction to start things off on.


	10. Preparations

Metal was clashing against metal, the sound ringing through the sharpness of cold autumn air. The breezes every once in a while drifted through the buildings of the village and reached the patio behind the forge; the wind was stinging enought to make the erratic breaths from sparring hurt in the depth of the lungs. But despite the cold, the two men clashing their swords felt hot from the morning workout, beads of sweat running down their temples and backs.

Hiccup parried another blow from Eret before swinging his dulled training blade in an arch, hitting his friend's shoulder pads where they met the neck. He grinned.

"You're dead, Eret. Again."

The older man grumbled. "That's only because you, arse, made me use a damn viking sword. You know I'd kick your ass blindfolded with my own weapon."

Hiccup sniggered. "You mean that overgrown dagger?"

"With which I'll one day cut your overgrown head off," Eret said, jumping in on their typical banter.

Eret got back into a fighting stance, starting the next round of sparring. And as if to accentuate his words, he swung his sword where Hiccup's head would have been had the young man not duck in time. Hiccup danced out of the way of Eret's blows and occasional swings of his fists. He delivered a blow of his own sword, aiming for Eret's gut but hitting his arm instead. Eret growled in pain. It didn't bleed of course, but surely would leave a nice bruise.

"That's what you get for making empty threats," Hiccup said, chuckling at his friend.

"Oh, it is on!" Eret dropped his weapon and charged at Hiccup, tackling him to the ground with ease.

Hiccup yelped as the air was pushed out of his lungs by the bigger man's weight flopping down on top of him. Eret was pinning him effectively to the mud. Hiccup wiggled and struggled to push his friend off of him, but only managed to get dirt all over himself.

Eret shifed to press his bulky forearm against Hiccup's chest; low enough not to choke him but still high enough to still keep the majority of air out of Hiccup's lungs. He sneered. "Well, what'ya gonna do now?" And although they were just sparring for fun, Hiccup knew that Eret liked to always throw a lesson or two into their matches, preparing Hiccup for real fights where his opponent wouldn't take pity on him because they were friends. And this time apparently was 'being choked'.

Eret had shown him once before how to escape such an situation. So Hiccup put his hands against the arm holding him to the ground and then moved his head up to bite down on the taut muscle mass. Eret let out a growled "Gah!" of pain, withdrawing the arm the moment Hiccup let go. He'd left a nice bitemark that soon would fade.

Once the wheight on his chest eased up and Eret leanded away far enough, Hiccup drew his legs in and pushed his feet against Eret's stomach. He rolled away from under him and got to his feet. Eret followed him suit, examining his arm with a pout.

"You need to bathe, Eret." Hiccup panted slightly, trying to make up for the air he had been refused. "Your arm tastes disgusting."

"Oh well, excuse me if a simple man like me can't afford to bathe every other day much unlike entitled brats like you," Eret replied dryly. It was seldom that he picked up Hiccup's tendency to use sarcasm at every opportunity, but spending a lot of time with each other had its effects.

Hiccup was just about to back with with a snide remark of his own when a female voice from the forge entrance sain, "While I do enjoy watching you two play in the mud like kids, I'm afraid tere are things we need to get done today."

Astrid stood in the doorframe, leaning against the wood, her arms crossed in front of her chest and an amused smile playing around her lips. And for once, she wasn't dressed in a dress, but in an attire quite similar to the once Hiccup remembered her wearing back on Berk. A red top had replaced the blue on and she wore more fur now than back then. The look suited her better than the dresses, he decided. It made her look more like the fierce warrior she was; especially with her axe strapped to her back.

But as much as Hiccup enjoyed his sparring matches with Eret, Astrid was right. His mother had given them a list of things she needed them to get done in preparation for their upcoming wedding. They had decided on old Kerrith's forge just outside the town's walls to meet; first and foremost because Hiccup trusted the cranky smith more than any other of the profession in Greuelorm. And additionally to that, Hiccup could take this as an excuse to help Kerrith with his new apprentice. The boy and his new master would turn up any minute now. Hiccup had made sure a hore would be available the stables at port for her to bring her here so she wouldn't have to walk all the way. Not that it was that long, but a horse was just so much more convenient.

Hiccup brushed the dirt and dust off himself and put the training sword back onto the hold at the back wall of the forge. He couldn't do much against the sweat clinging to his skin yet, knowing that he'd get even sweatier in the forge.

He went inside, Astrid following him. "How was you morning?" He asked her as he got a fire going, warming the chill autumn air. It would be almost suffocatingly hot in the small workstall in no time.

Astrid hopped onto one of the workbenches and let her feet dangle in the air. "Rather good. I got one of the sailors at port to train with me." She tugged her axe off her back and placed it next to her. A sly smile danced around her lips. "Of course he was no match for me." Her eyes were shining; either from her won sparring match or from the fire reflecting in them. Hiccup couln't help but mirror her smile.

"Of course he wasn't," he said. He forced his gaze to shift from the woman to the weapon. He pointed at it. "You want me to sharpen that for you?"

She nodded. "That'd be great."

Hiccup practically jumped to get his hands on the axe he had crafted so long ago. I had been the first one he'd made completely by himself without Gobber's help, not knowing that it would go to the girl he'd secretly admired from afar.

But when he took it up and looked at it closer, he started. "Good gods, what did you do to that poor thing?"

"What do you mean, what did I do?"

"The balance is completely off, and I don't even want to know about the last time you took it to a smith for sharpening. It's a wonder it's not already falling apart." Hiccup pushed down the urge to cradle his creation in his arms like a hurt baby.

Astrid looked taken aback. "Well, Gobber never wanted to take care of it for some reason, so I had to make do with sharpening stones. But I never felt it being off balance."

Hiccup snorted and shook his head. "That's probably because your body got used to it by now. You don't happed to have backpains right about," he stepped closer to her and put a hand between her right shoulder blade and her lower back, "here?" He drew back again, watching her shift her weight.

"Well, " she touched the spot he'd just pointed out to her, "occasionally." He raised an eyebrow.

"Occasionally?"

Astrid threw her hands up. "Alright, every time I used my axe. You happy now?"

"I knew it."

Hiccup began working on the poor weapon. While he worked Eret came in from the back yard and said good-bye to the both of them, leaving the property of the forge to go about his own duties for the day. Hiccup set the handle into the right position again and made sure everything was as balanced as it could get after years of being unbalanced. There were a few times he muttered a few curses at Gobber under his breath for being so stubborn and sentimental about taking care of a weapon. At the very last he decided it was useless to try to save it more. It was too old, used and just too mangled, and he'd probably end up hurting it more that helping with any more work to get it back in proper shape. He sighed in defeat.

"I don't think there's much more I can do for it."

Astrid's shoulders slumped. "Well, it is a pretty old weapon," she tried to reason, but Hiccup shook his head.

"If Gobber would have taken care of it regularly, it wouldn't be in this state right now." He handed her back the axe; he wouldn't try sharpening and possibly breaking it.

"I've always wondered why he wouldn't." Astrid frowned, then some realization seemed to hit her. "Wait a moment." She looked at him and the back to the weapon in her lap. "You made it, didn't you?"

Hiccup rubbed his neck. "Ah, well, you see..."

"Oh my gods, you did!"

"Yes, okay, I did." He looked at her sheepishly. "It was actually the first bigger weapon I ever made. That wasn't a complete fail, that is."

Astrid shook her head with a silent laugh. "I can't believe it took me this long to figure." Then her smile turned kind of sad again as she was eyeing her weapon. "There really is nothing you could do to save it?"

"I'm sorry, but the only future your axe could have would be as a decoration on the wall."

Astrid was about to say something when the door banged open. Old Kerrith stumbled inside, a boy of maybe twelve years in his wake, carrying pieces of scrap metal.

"Good morning, Kerrith," Hiccup greeted the old man who only grumbled a response. Then he looked at the boy.

His name was Bryon, Hiccup remembered. Too scrawny to fit into the army Drago was building, so Hiccup's stepfather had been willing to let him go to work as a smith without much persuasion. Bryon reminded Hiccup of himself when he had started as Gobber's apprentice all those years back. He had even been the same age Bryon was now.

Hiccup ruffled the boy's blond hair and took the scrap metal from him. "How's it been, Bryon? Did the old skeleton over there teach you anything useful yet?"

Bryon nodded and grinned. "I can fire the forge on my own now. And sharpen things." One of his front teeth was missing, leaving an endearing gap that marked him as the child he still was. "But only little things like knives. He won't let me handle the big guys yet."

"Well, everyone has to start somewhere. You'll get there, believe me."

Astrid hopped from where she had sat and stepped forward.

"I didn't know you'd bring someone, Horren," Kerrith said, using Hiccups alias and eyeing Astrid with curiosity. "Who is this lovely lass?" Kerrith didn't speak norse; he was one of the many residents of Greuelorm who grew up with only english and refused to learn any other language no matter how much it was used in the town. So Hiccup translated for Astrid, not wanting her to feel left out just because she didn't speak the prefered language.

"He wants to know who you are," he told her, setting the scrap metal he was still holding into a box next to the anvil. "What do you want me to tell him?"

She contemplated for a moment. Then she stepped right next to him. "I guess you can tell him the truth. Well, nothing about home obviously, but other than that I don't really care." She shrugged and offered Kerrith and Bryon a smile.

Switching between languages again, Hiccup said, "This is Astrid. She's my betrothed." It felt weird calling her that. As if voicing it somehow made it more real. Which was of course completely bullshit, but he couldn't stop his voice from stopping for a short moment.

"Betrothed?", Bryon asked, cocking his head sideways and squinting his eyes at Astrid. "What does that mean?"

"It means Horren will marry her," Kerrith answered his apprentice and let out a hearty laugh. "It's about time you settle down, lad. I was beginning to fear you'd never chose a lass." He clapped Hiccup on the shoulder.

Hiccup glanced at the girl in question and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, it was decided rather... ah, spontaneously."

Bryon, still scrutinizing Astrid, nodded to himself, then declared to Hiccup's surprise, "She'll make a good wife."

Hiccup was taken aback. "Wha-what makes you think that?"

The boy looked at him like he had three heads. "Why, because she is pretty! And if she is pretty it means she'll give you pretty children. And everybody wants pretty children." Hiccup gaped at the kid, not knowing how to even begin responding to that; and Kerrith wasn't helping much either. The old smith broke into a guffaw.

"The lad is right, though," Kerrith said, wiping tears of laughter from his wrinkled eyes. "And I'm sure you will be enjoying your honeymoon immensely with such a beautiful wife to warm your bed. Especially now that the nights will get so very cold." He cackled and wriggled his eyebrows as Hiccup blushed so furiously he thought his face might catch fire. His honeymoon wasn't something he wanted to think about just yet. Not when he didn't even know where he stood with Astrid and if she even wanted to spend the month after the wedding mostly in bed like it was tradition. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't.

Astrid nudged him with her elbow. "Care to explain what's going on? You know, since I still don't speak the language?"

The blush on his face only deepended as he quickly translated for her again. His only condolence was that Astrid also turned furiously red. Their eyes met for a split second and they quickly turned away from each other agian, utterly embarrassed by Bryon's and Kerrith's words.

Gladly, the old smith seemed to have pity for them after all. "But you didn't just come by to introduce me to your betrothed, didn't you?"

Hiccup was more than willing to change the topic, if not entirely since their visit did have something to do with the oncoming wedding.

"No, we're here because we need something from you."

"As long as that means you'll help me with teaching Bryon like you promised and I'll get my payment, ask away."

Hiccup nodded. "Of course. I always keep my promises. You should know that by now."

"Then spill it, lad."

"We'd need you to make our wedding bands."

Kerrith munched on the air, stroking his short beard. "Wedding bands? I'm sorry to disappoint you, lad, but my hands haven't been in the state for such delicate work for some time now. You'll have to ask one of the othe smiths."

Hiccup shook his head. "They are all too busy with Drago's orders."

"Then why don't you make them yourself? You are skilled enough and could teach Bryon while your at it too."

Hiccup had already contemplated that, but the thing was... "I've never forged something like that. You know it's not a custom where I come from." His shoulders sagged.

Kerrith looked at him unconvinced. "You are telling me you aren't able to forge two small rings to go on your fingers, but anything else, no matter what it is, you can make. You should be able to figure it out before I have finished even one sword today." Kerrith turned to his apprentice. "And you, lad, 'll watch closely what he's doing. I want you to make some yourself by tomorrow for practice.

Hiccup groaned and massaged to bridge of his nose. Sometimes the old man liked to be a pain in the ass; especially since Hiccup knew very well that Kerrith had last forged wedding bands about a month ago for the wedding of one of Greuelorm's nobility.

"What is it?" Astrid asked. "Is he not going to forge those wedding band thingies?"

Hiccup shook his head no. "He said his 'hand's aren't in the state' all of a sudden and told me I should do it. And while I'm at it I might as well teach Bryon even though I have no damn clue myself."

Astrid blinked at him. "May I remind you that you build a freaking _prothetic tailfin_ for a _dragon_ complete with a saddle and all? I'm sure making something like that is way more complicated than two wedding bands." She turned away and hopped back onto the workbench, making herself comfortable with her axe in her lap. "You better get to work. We don't have all day for this."

In the end, both Kerrith and Astrid had been right. Once he had looked a bit more cloesely at wedding band examples, he could already see the work process in his mind. It didn't take him long to make two simple rings; one to perfectly fit on Astrid's slender finger and the other to go on his own. He even managed to already plan out some decorations to go on hers with a little nod to their home island. But he would do them later when she wasn't around to make it a suprise. And all that before Kerrith could put he hilt on the first sword like the old smith had predicted.

Teaching Bryon, though, had proven to be the tougher task. More than a handful of times did Hiccup have to jump out of the way of molted iron or when the boy lost his grip on the hammer. The first time the latter had happened, he hadn't been able to move fast enough and the heavy tool had landed on his foot. The series of curses he had let go that moment would have made a sailor blush and Astrid looked at him a bit disturbed for he had instinctively chosen to speak norse that moment and she had understood every single word.

After that, he had kept a security distance to Bryon and had given him a lighter hammer. At noon, Bryon had made a ring himself; way too big for anyone to wear and not really round, but it was good considering the boy had just begun his apprenticeship.

"Good work, buddy. Now you just need to practice that about a hundred times more." Hiccup ruffled the boy's hair. But Bryon only looked disappointed at his work.

"How can you say 'good work' when it's not even nearly as good as yours." He picked up the small metal ring. "It's not even round."

That moment Bryon reminded Hiccup even more of his younger himself than he wanted to admit. He knew this feeling of not being good enough all too well. So he laid a hand on the boy's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "Don't worry, Bryon. You'll get there. With a lot of practice and trial and error, but you'll get there."

Hiccup put away all the tools he had needed and packed the two little rings inside a pouch at his belt so he wouldn't loose them. He grabbed a spare shirt he had brought with him and quickly changed into the clean tunic. For a moment he thought he might have seen Astrid looking at him with wide eyes, but when he had tugged the fabric over his head and looked her way, the young woman was busy running a cloth over her axe's blade, her head turned downwards.

"You ready for the seamstresses?" he asked her.

She nodded and they said their goodbyes for the day to Bryon and Kerrith before heading off to their next appointments.

Hiccup brought Astrid back into town where he would drop her off at the dressmaker's before going to his own tailor's appointment; which probably had to be his least favourite point on his list.

Once they walked up to the dressmaker's shop, having left their horses at a local stable, and Hiccup was about to bid her goodbye as well for the day, Astrid stopped him before entering.

"I just wanted to... well," she said, rubbing her arm. At first she wasn't looking at him and Hiccup began to wonder what had gotten her this...shy all of a sudden that she wouldn't even meet his eyes.

Then she took a breath and before he could even register her moving, her fist had already connected with his shoulder; not hard enough to bruise, but he would continue to feel it for quite some time either way.

"What the Hel, woman?" he exclaimed, rubbing the sore spot.

Astrid raised her chin. "That was for never telling me you made my axe." The next thing she did took him even more by surprise.

In one swift motion she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulled him toward her and lightly pressed a kiss to his cheek. When she drew back she wore a smug grin on her face. She walked to the dressmaker's door, a hand on the handle.

Hiccup took a moment to find his voice again. "And that was for...?"

Astrid opened the door, one foot already set inside, before responding. "That was for everything else." She quickly stepped inside and shut the door behind her, leaving Hiccup to gape after her like a fish on the dry. His cheeks were set aflame and a dopey smile began to stretch his lips.

He made his way to the tailor's a few blocks down the street, savoring the memory of the peck she had given him.

And he couldn't stop to wonder and hope that maybe, just maybe...

Drago went down the steps of the 'Burnt Man' to the basement underneath the tavern, the clammy walls just barely lit by flickering torches every few feet. Rats were scurrying out of his way to hide in the shadows. The basement was empty save for a few crates with the poorest of ales one could find in his town and a lone shelf leaning against the back wall, its contents already moldy and giving a smell worthy to compete with the dead.

Anyone who would come down here would think there was nothing special about this room, but Drago knew better than to let himself be fooled by the sight of the basement. After all, he had given the order to disguise the passageway to the heart of his army. No one would ever suspect anything and the barmaid knew better than to go and tell anyone about his secrets.

He pulled at the shelf and the hidden door at its back swung open, revealing a dark tunnel leading towards the docks. Drago took one of the torches off the wall and entered the hidden tunnel, closing the secret door behind him again. The sounds of the tavern faded away and instead a low growling and howling took their place, echoing through the tunnel in an eery symphony of agony. Drago's lips curled into a smile.

Soon, he promised himself, soon it would be time to start the last phase of the plan he had set up four years ago. And now it was only a matter of mere weeks until he would be able to take the last ounce of control over that boy he still didn't have after almost a half decade of dealing with him. Get him a wife and he'll bow to your every word, his Second in Command had advised him. It seemed that Viggo had been right so far. Hiccup was already entranced with that Hofferson girl. Drago didn't doubt that would change after they were wed. No, he believed those feelings would only deepen the further his stepson and his bride were into their marriage.

Now if only he could find that dragon.

The day of the wedding was approaching faster than Astrid would have thought. On one side she was glad that the stress of the preparation would finally be over, but on the other side she also dreaded having to walk up the aisle to become Hiccup's wife. Or rather, anyone's wife; it wasn't so much because of Hiccup that she was getting all anxious.

Astrid had never planned to get married and figured that should she ever do so, it would be her decision to marry a man she chose for herself. But she didn't get to make that choice. It had been made for her, for them both, and Astrid hated her father for letting it happen and hated Drago even more for forcing her father into doing so. Hiccup and her were just the collateral damage having to carry the weight of all that.

Over the course of the past few days, Astrid had gotten to know Hiccup a bit better; not just the man he had become away from Berk, but also the boy he had been.

She learned how he'd met Eret and that Eret had made sure Hiccup knew how to fight; an accomplishment no one had even deemed possible. It turneed out that Hiccup had only needed the right motivation, namely keeping Toothless safe. It had apparently helped quite a bit to put a sword in his left hand first rather than trying to get him to work with his non-dominant had right away.

After another visit to the crater, Astrid had come to understand that the dragon was in fact more like an odd mix between a dog and a cat than a vicious beast. When they had descended the mountain into the crater, Toothless had already been excitedly waiting for his rider, wagging his tail to and fro with his tongue lolling out of the side of his maw. Astrid had never seen a dragon as happy as when she watched Toothless pouncing over to them and tackling Hiccup to the ground only to then cover his face with slobbering dragon kisses. Astrid hadn't even tried to contain her laughter and just let it out freely while Hiccup shot dark glares at her and the dragon. He had eventually managed to free himself from Toothless and flung a bit of the drool covering him at her. He had laughed right back at her taken aback face.

Astrid had still declined the offer to go flying with them, though. She could accept that maybe dragons weren't what she had perceived them to be, but that still didn't mean she'd be alright with recklessly jumping on dragon back and risking her life in the skies, where no viking should be in the first place, anytime soon. She was happy to leave that part of Midgard to the birds, dragons and the other creature that could fly on their own. She'd stick to the ground and, occasionally, the ocean where vikings belonged.

And while Hiccup and Toothless had been in the air chasing the winds, she'd trained with an axe she'd foung in the very back of Hiccup's storage cavern. She'd wondered for a moment why he had it so far in the back when it would have made more sense to keep it near the entrance. But she'd decided not to question his order – or rather chaos. Maybe he did have a reason, maybe he didn't.

Her moon's blood had come and gone without much interference except for that first day during which she'd just lain in her bed and had wished the cramps and nausea away. Luckily enough, she'd only had to vomit once that day, which was a pleasant surprise since she usually would be hanging over a bucket at least after every meal. Hiccup had come to visit her that day, not knowing about the state she'd be in. He'd wanted to bring her to a healer and was just overall annoyingly worried. Until she'd told him the reason for her feeling unwell and almost crying in pain. After that he'd been flustered for a moment, not saying anything for the following few minutes.

"And that happens every month to you?" he'd asked, his curiositiy obviously overpowering his awkwardness.

"Yes, every damn month since I was fourteen."

He'd rubbed the back of his neck, opening his mouth as if he'd been wanting to say more.

"Just spit it out," she'd commanded, not having the patience to deal with his unnecesary bashfulness at the moment.

"Is there... anything I could do to make you feel better?" He'd asked, clearly not having a damn clue how to deal with her situation.

She'd sighed. On the one hand, she'd found his consideration sweet, on the other, she'd just wanted to be left alone so she could feel miserable on her own and stuff her face with whatever food she could find on her father's ship. That had let an idea come to her mind. "Just maybe get me something to eat? Preferably with a lot of sugar in it? That would really be nice."

So he had gotten her a small bag with cake and other smaller syrupy goods which she'd immediately dug in an after thanking him qickly. He'd looked at her with an amused expression.

"Feeling better now?"

She'd nodded. "The cramps are still going strong, but as long as I have something to eat I should be fine." Upon seeing him cocking an eyebrow at her she'd thrown her pillow at him. "You don't know the struggle, Haddock, so wipe that grin off your face!" He'd just chuckled and turned to leave, telling her to meet him at the gates the next morning. More wedding preparations had to be done.

Something Astrid had learned these past few days was that her future mother-in-law enjoyed planning weddings way too much. Valka had dragged Astrid to almost every shop in the town and even a few vendors outside in the village to order flower arrangements, new sets of tablecloth, loads of food, and other little things for the feast that was to take place after the actual ceremony. She also made sure that Astrid's gown would be of the latest fashion and, much to Astrid's liking, with little nods to her viking heritage. At first she'd been sceptical when she'd been measured and the seamstresses had held the different fabrics at her, but once she'd tried on the half finished gown, she'd loved it. It was a deep red with black and gold embroidery along the hem lines, and the back of the bodice was laced together with bands of those same colours – which made it a pain in the ass to put on, but looked just fabulous. The long, wide sleeves hunge loosely from her shoulders and ended at her wrists. The skirt of the dress fell in straight lie to the ground and gathered at her feet. She would have to be careful while walking, espcially up and down stairs, so as not to trip over the hem. A loose belt around her hips perfected the gown. Astrid had almost teared up the first time she'd seen a reflection of herself in the gown. What she'd give for her mother to see her like this.

The day before the wedding, last minute preparations and changes were made. Astrid was once again accompanying Valka to run errands and get as much say in her own wedding as the older woman would allow. Not that it was all too much, but gladly Valka had a quite decent taste.

"Oh, we still need to talk about how we'll do your hair, my dear," Valka exclaimed suddenly as they were walking the streets of Greuelorm. They had just come from the final fitting of Astrid's wedding gown and had planned to visit the bakery to take a quick survey of their order. The pastries and pies were to be delivered the next morning to Bludvist manor.

Astrid picked at the basked she was holding, looking at its covered content; a quick lunch for Hiccup and Eret who also were running some last errands and who would meet up with the two women shortly. "I thought that maybe you could do my hair tomorrow?" Usually the bride's mother would do her daughter's hair on her wedding day, but since Astrid's was alread dead and the rest of her family still back on Berk, Valka was the next choice.

Her soon-to-be mother-in-law smiled comfortingly at her. "Of course." She squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Just tell me whether you want an updo as it would be tradition in the archipelago, or leave it open with maybe a few braids thrown into it like the girls around here do."

Astrid thought for a moment. This wedding would already be filled with nods to their Viking heritage, but she'd never liked the way the woman from Berk would do their hair on their wedding day. Or even after that. Married life meant for a woman to always put her hair up; no strand could be allowed to be seen by anyone but their husbands and close family. And Astrid quite liked the way her single plait fell down her neck, she wasn't so content with forever hiding it. She could already feel the skin on her head aching from all the tension she'd have to put her hair in. That was a custom she would gladly leave behind forever while her life here began.

"How about a half updo? You know, with many small braids and something complicated on the back and the rest of my hair could be left open," Astrid suggested. She knew that Valka wouldn't have a problem with creating intricate braids since the older woman put such into her own long hair on a daily basis.

Valka hummed. "I think I might know a style you'd like. We'll try it out later at the manor, all right?"

Astrid nodded. "Sounds good."

They continued to the bakery, talking about trivial things on their way. Despite Astrid's initial dislike for the woman because she'd abandoned her son for so long, making conversation with Valka was easy. Astrid couldn't say that she'd ever come to an agreement with her about abandoning her child, but she was willing to try and see over that fact and just perceive her as the woman who loved her son and hated having brought him anywhere near Drago in the first place. She did swear to herself, though, to never make such a mistake herself should she ever have children.

She'd had an awkward conversation with Hiccup about the topic the other day. Both of them blushing furiously at first, but once they'd shook off their embarrassment, they'd been able to talk almost normally about that particular topic. Astrid had known that it would have had to come up eventually, so she'd taken matters into her own hand on the way back from the cove.

In the end, they had both agreed that yes, they wanted to have children eventually, just not immediately. Astrid first wanted to settle into married life and her new home. And Hiccup wanted to find a way for them to get away from Drago first.

"I don't want to raise a kid anywhere near that man, Astrid. He'd just use them as leverage against us and corrupt them. He's my stepfather, and according to the law, any children I might have would belong to him. He's head of the household, he can alread do with me as he pleases." He had sighed. "I think there is a reason the gods prevented him to have children of his own." He had looked at her, searching for understanding, and she'd given it to him willingly.

The way Hiccup had made it sound, his life under Drago hadn't been better than the one he'd had on Berk. At least there, his father hadn't made him do things he didn't want to – well, except for joining dragon training – but had just mostly ignored him or scolded him. Hiccup had told her that Drago, on the other hand, had already made him actually kill a dragon while he'd taken him hunting a few years ago and every time after that. Astrid had read in his eyes how much it destroyed him from the inside to do so. A dragon was his best friend, he loved those creatures. And yet, he'd had to take their lives. And she understood; Drago was not a person to raise a child around.

So, no children any time soon.

Their visit to the bakery was shortlived. The staff was busy fullfilling the rest of their order and at the same time making sure their usual customers weren't forgotten. The owner of the bakery assured them that everything would be finished on time and he even gave them a few samples of their pastries. It tasted downright delicious. Astrid had to keep herself from reaching for more samples lest she made the bakers even more work by eating what they'd already made. But that didn't stop her from letting a few of the samples slip into the basket she was carrying. _Just_ _something for the boys_ , she tried to justify in front of her own conscience.

"Are they all ta ya liking, Mistresses?" The baker's wife adressed them while her husband went back to work with his staff.

"Most definitely," Valka assured the hefty woman behind the counter. "What do you say, Astrid?"

Astrid smiled at the baker's wife. "They are by far the most delicious pastries I've ever had."

The woman looked relieved, a warm smile spreading over her face. "Oh, tha' is goo' ta hear. An' they aren't even our best ones!"

"They are not?" Astrid asked. They must be having a deal with the gods for being able to bake such delicious food.

The woman shook her head no and wiggled her finger. Amusement made her eyes crinkle. "No, they aren't. An' ya'll have ta wait 'til tomorro' ta ge' a taste o' those, ya swee'tooth. Don' think I haven't seen ya sneakin' away some o' the samples." The three of them shared a laugh, although Astrid's died down first at the thought that the wedding really was tomorrow. A strange feeling spread in the pit of her stomach.

A hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality. The baker's wife smiled at her with kindness in her eyes. "It'll be fine, dear. E'ryone ge's a lil nervous jus' before their weddin'." She cocked her head to the side. "Or is it the lad who's gettin' cold feet? Ya worried 'bout that? Jus' whack 'im over the head an' he'll get back in line."

Astrid huffed a laugh. "No, it's not that. At least not as far as I know. It's just.. all a bit sudden."

"Ah, aye. I heard 'bout that. Drago made the arrangement, aye?" Valka and Astrid nodded in agreement. "He's a goo' lad, dear. I believe he'll be jus' as goo' a husband for ya."

The baker's wife was probably right; Hiccup wasn't a bad man to get married to. In fact, Astrid had grown quite fond of the young man by now. Maybe she would even be able to love him one day... If only they'd had a little bit more time and wouldn't have to take such big steps in such a short time.

They left the bakery with a few more samples. "For the way home," the kind baker's wife had said and the other two women had thanked her.

They met Hiccup and Eret at the gate to the village, both carrying strange bundles. At first it looked like a bunch of fabric until Astrid got near enough to hear metallic clanking.

Hiccup grinned. "Hey mom." He directed his gaze at her and Astrid could have sworn his grin got a tad bit wider. "Hey, Astrid." She smiled back at him.

"What is it that you're carrying?" She pointed to his load. If it was what she suspected then it must be pretty heavy, though he didn't show any signs of exhaustion.

"This?" He lifted the bundle in his arms, more suspicious clanking could be heared. "You'll find out soon enough."

He and Eret joined Valka and her for a quick lunch in a calmer side alley of the town; the whole town seemed to be in busy commotion as if they knew Drago's stepson was to get married the next day. Astrid didn't even doubt that they all knew, there were enough gossiping women to spread it across.

While the young men ate their lunch, Valka and Astrid gave a quick report on what they'd already accomplished and what they still needed to get done. The latter list was surprisingly short in comparison to what the men needed to do still.

"Drago had the nerve to give me even more to do when I told him this morning that we would be done with everything by midday. Now we'll be busy until evening," Hiccup groaned between bites.

Valka snorted. "He wants to keep you busy so you're too distracted to get cold feet, son."

Hiccup glared at his mother. "Oh yeah, because I have such a desperate wish to die, mom," he said dryly. He sighed and continued without his sarcasm tainting his voice. "And besides, if I did that, Astrid's father would have to give Drago his ship including all his goods. They'd be trapped here with no fortune whatsoever." He looked at Astrid then, giving her the tiniest of smiles that she wondered if it was there at all. "I would never let something like that happen."

She smiled back at him. "I'd kick you ass to Valhalla if you did."

Eret, who'd been startlingly quiet, barked out a laugh and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Good luck with that one, pal. I hope for your safety that you'll never piss her off. Although with you luck that might be wasted hopes."

Hiccup rolled his eyes "Tell me something new, Eret. As long as I've known her she's been of the violent kind."

Astrid folded her arms over her chest. "It's not violence, it's communication."

"Communication!" Eret howled with laughter. "That's good. I gotta remember that one so the next time Drago asks me why I started a brawl I can say I was only trying to communicate."

They talked for a little while longer until Hiccup and Eret needed to get going againt to fulfull all their tasks preferably before nightfall, which was probably a lost hope since the sun would start to set earlier now that autumn had settled in entirely and winter was coming.

They bid their see-you-laters and good-byes, Hiccup promising that he would seek Astrid out later that day to quickly go with her trough everything for the ceremony again. They'd had a rehearsal with the officiator just the other day, but Astrid still was a bit unsure about the whole procedure since it was so wholly different from the ceremonies she was used to from Berk. Although, that might also be because the rehearsal had been so awkward. They had been blushing throughout the whole thing and Hiccup had kept forgetting his lines or stumbling through them with that stutter of his he only showed occasionally now. Not to speak of her initial inability to speak her part of the vow in english. The different language was tricky for her to enunciate, but after a few tries and relying on her memory to form the words rather than reading them form a piece of paper, she'd been able to say them almost flawlessly. In the end, they'd both been glad that it had only been the rehearsal and they hadn't made fools of themselves in front of all the guests Drago planned to invite.

Astrid would stay at the Bludvist manor for the night, sleeping in one of the many spare bedrooms, so that she wouldn't be in such a hurry the next morning before the ceremony and Valka and her would have enough time getting her ready. She wouldn't see her father's ship again; all her belongings were being taken to her 'new home' either right at this moment or had already arrived there. It was strange to think of Bludvist manor as her new home, but that's what it would be as of tomorrow. Although it would never take the place Berk had in her heart and would always have; that's where she's grown up and that's the place she'd always call home.

Just after Hiccup took Hiccup took his load back into his arms and made to follow Eret, he did a double take and turned back to Astrid.

With a boldness she wasn't used to from him, Hiccup quickly leaned towards her and pressed a kiss to her cheek before turning away with a lopsided smile and leaving with Eret to get their to-do list for the day done. Astrid stared after him with a slightly agape mouth and a blush warming her face, wondering if maybe...

 **A/N:**

Thank's to all my sweet readers who haven't given up hope for this story yet even though chapter take a long long time to come by now. You guys are the reason I keep writing this little monster! I love each and every one of you guys and if I could you'd all get a cookie from me for bearing with me! You are the best!

Who got the small GoT reference near the end? Anyone? Yes? No? Oh well,.. I am just so obsessed with that series right now and am finally able to watch season 6, so the temptation to put that little, slightly altered phrase there just was too big!

The next chapter will *drum rolls* be the actual wedding! Loaded with awkwardness and discomfort and a bit of emotional troubles and all that good painful stuff! Of course the Hiccstrid won't be short either! It's their wedding after all. I'm not sure yet whether the wedding night will be in that chapter or get it's own, but one thing I do know is that there will be smut (hence the M rating for this story among other reasons). I will, though, include it in a way that you will easily be able to skip that part if you don't like that kind of thing. I don't wanna scare off anyone just because they stumbled over some scenes they didn't want to read. So yeah, I'll inform you further about that on top of the coming chapter!

One last thing: I just wanted to give a quick shoutout to TaramisHaddock who is a wonderful person and ya'll should go check his story out! I'm totally obsessed with 'For the years to come' , so you should all give it a try as well!

See you in a few weeks (hopefully), Miti! :)


	11. Tying The Knot

Hiccup was pacing through his room. His nerves were on edge and he was pretty sure he had ruined his somewhat tamed hair. He ran his hand through the auburn mop again without giving it much thought, continuing to walk up and down the length of his room.

He was going to get married in less than an hour. Married. And he was to marry not just any random girl from the town but Astrid Hofferson, fiercest shield maiden-to-be of the whole Barbaric Archipelago. And weren't it for her father and Drago, she'd actually get to be one someday; a Valkyrie made flesh sent to earth by the gods to protect her people. And he was going to marry her.

When he'd been younger, he'd always dreamed of marrying her, but soon had realized that those dreams had been just that. Dreams. She'd become unreachable for him when their childhood friendship had dissolved and had left him to admire the beautiful girl with the flaxen hair from afar. The further his crush on her had developed, the less she'd seemed to care about him. And then he'd left Berk and had thought he'd never get to see her again. He'd quickly given up on her and had tried to forget her. The former had been easier done than the latter. She still was a part of his past life on Berk. Almost as much as his Dad of Gobber were.

And now he would get to marry her after all. Not that he was particularly happy that it had been set up for them without them agreeing to it in any way. But that didn't change the fact that she'd be his wife in a short time. Hiccup thought he might be a little sick. The edginess within his mind was doing weird things to his body.

Hiccup walked towards the window facing the courtyard of the manor. He could see the guests Drago had decided to invite arrive and be greeted by his mother.

All of them were somehow important people of the town. He'd had to learn all their names at one point or the other but couldn't seem to remember a single one of them in his nervousness. And frankly, he couldn't care less about them; he'd rather have a small ceremony with little to no guests than this lot of pretentious and conceited people he didn't even really know being present during the –socially speaking, not personally – most important day of his life.

A knock sounded on his door and Hiccup turned away from the window, trying to straighten his clothes and get his hair under control before answering whoever had knocked.

He was kind of surprised to find his stepfather standing before him. He'd guessed Eret would be paying him a last-minute visit - along with some inappropriate comments -, not Drago.

But what surprised him even more and took him aback was that Drago wasn't wearing his usual scowl or his wolfish expression. He actually looked... rather sympathetic as far as that was possible for him. Just a little how a father as supposed to look at his son on the latter one's wedding day.

"It's almost time, son," Drago said, "How are you feeling?" He stepped into Hiccup's room. Or what had been his room for the past few years. The chamber's him and Astrid would move into were down the east-wing of the main house. To give the newlyweds space for themselves, Drago had said. Hiccup of course had blushed furiously at that. But the farther he could get away from Drago on the estate the better. And if that meant moving his stuff from next to the library a story up and to one end of the building, he'd do so happily. And the chambers Drago'd had cleared and put furniture in for them were bigger than his current ones, so that was another nice advantage. Especially when he considered that there would be two persons occupying that space instead of one. Astrid would be there as well...

And there was the nervousness again. _Welcome back, old friend_ , Hiccup groaned internally.

"Uh... I don't know. Nervous?" He tapped his hand against his thigh, not wanting to pick up his pacing again now that his stepfather was here.

Drago nodded. "You should. Astrid seems like a feisty woman."

Hiccup frowned. "That's not... I just..." He groaned and pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. "I don't even really know why I feel so nervous. Astrid's great and we get along. I just... I guess I just wish we'd have more time before getting married, you know?" It was easy in that moment to talk to his stepfather.

Drago did care about him somewhat. In his twisted way, that was. And Hiccup was still sure that the man never did anything that wasn't beneficial for him in some way, but he'd always made sure that Hiccup was wishing for nothing Drago could give him. He was still a horrible excuse of a father – or even stepfather – but Hiccup was used to not expect too much from father-figures in his life.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder. "Every man is nervous before he's getting married. You'll have to spend the rest of your life with that woman and that knowledge can sometimes be suffocating. You'd probably be just as nervous if the wedding was weeks from now. A little more time wouldn't change that."

"W-Were you nervous before marrying my mother?" Hiccup couldn't help but ask. He just couldn't imagine a man like Drago ever being nervous. That just didn't fit.

And like expected, Drago shook his head. "No. But I was when I was about to marry my first wife. I was about your age back then and the thought of having to settle down was unnerving to me. Things change when you get older, though. My marrying your mother had little to do with getting married and more with... creating alliances." He smiled but something had changed. All the caring Drago had shown towards him had been replaced by that wolfishness again. Always calculating and scheming away. But it wasn't anything new to Hiccup that the marriage between Drago and his mother served an ulterior motive. He just hoped Drago would leave Astrid out of whatever he was scheming.

o~o~o

Astrid was standing in front of the big mirror in Valka's dressing room, gaping at her reflection. She almost didn't recognize herself at first but there was no mistaking it was indeed her own image she was seeing; the young woman staring right back at her wore the same dress she did, had her hair done up the same way she did, and moved at the same time the same way she did. But still Astrid couldn't stop wondering whether that was really her.

She had worn her wedding gown before while it had still been in the making and the seamstresses had been making sure it would fit just right. And it did. It hugged her body in all the right places and - while leaving little of her torso to the imagination - was still elegant and absolutely gorgeous. She made a mental note to find the seamstresses sometime soon and thanking them again properly and not in a rush to get ready.

The intricate design Valka had woven into her hair left her speechless. Her golden curls were braided tightly to her skull on one side, interweaving on the way to the back of her head where it was pulled up into a flower-like bun made up of many tiny braids. A whole bunch of her hair fell out of the side of the bun and met the part that hadn't been braided in the first place to fall in soft curls down her shoulder. Valka had added a few singe braids to the loose part to give it a bit more structure, so every now and then a twisted strand could be seen within the curls.

Valka came back from welcoming the guests and approached Astrid with a small smile dancing around her thin lips. "It's hard to believe, isn't it?"

Astrid nodded silently, taking a shaky breath. She hadn't really been nervous before, but now she felt like freaking out. This was happening too fast, too suddenly. She had barely had time to catch her breath in the past few days and now she was already getting married. To Hiccup. It seemed kind of surreal still. If her fourteen-year-old self could see her now she'd probably be completely pissed off by this situation, but Astrid couldn't say that she was. If anything, she felt kind of glad. In a strange, foreign way, though, just like everything else was right now.

Foreign.

She was in a foreign land with foreign customs and traditions, marrying into a foreign family, and the only familiar component to all this was Hiccup. But then again, he had changed so much in the past few years that the last few days they had spent together hadn't been sufficient to get to know him again.

Valka squeezed Astrid's shoulders reassuringly. "Stop worrying so much, darling. It'll all be fine, I promise."

Astrid sighed. "It's just that this is all happening so fast, Valka. Another week-"

"Another week would have you nervously pacing all over the place," Valka cut her off waving her hand. "It's good that it's happening so fast. Like this you'll have more to talk about during the honeymoon. You'll have plenty of time learning about each other, Astrid."

Astrid opened her mouth to protest that Valka was far off, but she was stopped again by the older woman. "And don't even try to tell me that isn't what you're thinking about. I was in your position, once. Well, twice, but I don't really count that second time."

"You're probably right." Astrid looked at her reflection again, taking a deep calming breath and let go of her worries. Deep down she knew she had nothing to worry about. She liked Hiccup. That was a better prospect than most woman had regarding their betrothed. For an arranged marriage, she had gotten a pretty good deal with Hiccup. A small smile of her own tugged at her lips and she let it take form.

If she was lucky she'd maybe even grow to love her husband-to-be.

"Oh," Valka exclaimed, touching her hand to her forehead, "before I forget it: here." She handed a small wooden chest to Astrid with simple but pretty designs carved into its lid. She opened it and found a bunch of dried and crushed herbs inside of it.

"It the herbs you asked me for. The ones for the moon tea. I already put them into your tea this morning, so you don't need to worry about conceiving."

Astrid closed the chest again and put it aside. "Thanks, Valka."

A knock sounded on the door to the dressing room and a dark-haired girl about Astrid's age stepped inside, dressed in fine clothing.

"It's almost time," the girl said. Her expression was guarded and she eyed Astrid with clear suspicion. She came to stand in front of them and extended her hand to Astrid. "I don't think we have been introduced. I'm Heather, a cousin of Viggo and Ryker."

Astrid took her hand and shook it. "Um, nice to meet you, Heather," she quickly glanced at Valka, seeing the her soon to be mother-in-law nod. "I'm-"

"Oh, I know who you are, Astrid. It'd be a shame if I didn't with you being the bride and all." Heather smiled, but Astrid saw that it was forced upon her lips.

It wasn't long until the three of them made their way down to the patio where the ceremony was to take place. A small crowd full of people she had never seen in her life was seated on rows of benches facing away from her, or standing in small groups talking to one another

Astrid's heart was racing, pounding so loudly in her chest that she could hear the blood rushing in her ears. This was happening. It was really happening, and there was no going back now. Not that there ever had been. She couldn't make out Hiccup yet, but she supposed that he was somewhere among the people, maybe at the dais. Instead she spotted Eret. The young man was talking to Drago, a stern expression on his face. He looked at her and immediately smirked. He called to someone in the crown and jerked his chin her way.

Moments later, Astrid saw a mop of auburn hair emerge from the crowd. Hiccup was clad in a fitting tunic and pants, a ceremonial sword hanging at his side. He looked good, really good. A slight blush crept over Astrid's cheeks. That tunic really accentuated his broad shoulders. And those pants... Astrid had to mentally slap herself to keep her gaze fixated on his face instead of farther south of it.

She was relieved to find him too preoccupied with roaming his eyes all over her attire as well to notice the redness on her face. His mouth was slightly agape and his eyes huge. When he came to a halt in front of her he swallowed once before meeting her gaze; his ears were bright red.

"Y-You look really beautiful, Astrid." He smiled a shy smile, making her smile in return.

"Not bad yourself."

Hiccup was about to say more, but his mother interrupted him; Valka seemed to have a talent for interrupting people before they even started speaking. "You two can talk later." She dragged the both of them back into the house to fiddle with their clothes one last time like a mother-hen. She tsked at Hiccup when he mindlessly ran a hand through his hair and swatted him. "The ceremony is beginning any minute now and your hair is a mess, son." She tried to tame the mop of auburn hair on her son's head while Astrid snorted at his attempts to avoid her.

"Mom, stop! You're only making it worse," he protested and dodged her hands with ease, as if he'd done this strange dance with his mother more than once. Eventually, Valka gave up and muttered something under her breath. Astrid could have sworn it contained the words 'horrible young man' and 'not even decent hair on his own wedding day'.

"Wait for my signal," Valka said aloud and left them alone in the hallway to make a last-minute check-up of everything outside.

As they watched Valka disappear in the small crowd an awkward silence fell between Hiccup and Astrid. It was apparent that both of them were nervous and could hardly hide it. It was all Astrid could do to not turn around and just run anywhere but towards that dais. Maybe she could reach port and get on one of the ships and just sail away; but she'd need a horse for that and none of the stable-boys would give her one now. Maybe hiding somewhere in the mansion then and waiting until nightfall to make a run for the mountains, then? Also unlikely to succeed. Maybe she could pretend fainting and just buying a little more time and-

A strong hand wrapped around her own and squeezed lightly. Astrid looked up and found Hiccup smiling at her reassuringly even though he didn't seem so convinced about it himself. She squeezed back and kept holding onto his hand like it was her anchor, like _he_ was her anchor. She worried her teeth over her lower lip but managed to smile back a little. She could do this. She _would_ do this. And it wasn't like she was alone in this; Hiccup must have the exact same thoughts she did about just ditching the wedding if the nervous tapping of his foot and his slightly fastened breathing was any indication.

Then suddenly he stopped his nervous tapping, patted his pockets and produced a flat wooden box out of them. He cleared his voice and turned to her. "Ah, y-your father asked me to-to give you," he opened the box and showed her a comb that was very familiar to her, "this."

Astrid gently lifted the comb out of the box and ran her thumb over its delicate surface. It was her mother's; passed down from generation to generation, from mother to daughter. Her mother had worn it when she'd wed her father.

"One day, you'll wear it at your own wedding," her mother had always said whenever she'd shown Astrid the comb. Astrid had always protested, stating that she'd be a shield maiden. But her mother had just laughed and then put the adornment aside. "One day, daughter. One day."

Her mother had been right.

The memory made her throat feel tight and let tears well in her eyes. Once more she wished her mother could be here with her. But then again, if her mother were still alive she likely wouldn't be here at all. She drew in a shaky breath and blinked the tears away, composing herself again.

"You okay?" Hiccup asked, drawing her focus away from the past and back into the present. She nodded.

"Yeah," Astrid said, "I'm fine." She set the box she was still holding aside and patted the top of her hair in search for a good place to put in the comb. Once she found a spot right where the hair was draped into a curly bun, she tried to put it in without destroying Valka's masterpiece. Hiccup watched her struggle with a slightly amused smile playing around his lips. She wished there was a mirror hanging somewhere on a wall, but no, Drago apparently hadn't seen a need for something like that near an entrance to his mansion.

Hiccup huffed a laugh and extended his hand. "May I?" He gestured to the comb, offering his assistance.

Astrid hesitated. It wasn't conventional for a man to touch a woman's hair out of wedlock. But then she thought again and came to the conclusion that she didn't care about convention; marrying someone who called himself a dragon rider was unconventional in and of itself. And they'd be married within the hour anyway, so it wouldn't really make such a difference now.

Astrid handed him the comb and turned her head. With gentle fingers her put the adornment into her hair. She could have sworn that his fingers lingered longer than necessary on her hair, but decided not to call him out on it.

"There," he said and stepped back.

"Thank you."

Outside, the people split up their little groups and took seats on the benches. The buzzing sound of conversations subsided to a soft murmur, quiet taking over the whole party. The officiator took his place in front of the dais and spoke a few opening words to the attendants.

Astrid took a deep breath and laid her hand on Hiccup's offered arm.

"Ready?" he asked her, sounding absolutely not ready himself. In fact, he sounded even more nervous than she felt. And strangely, it calmed her down a bit.

Astrid nodded. "As ready as I'll ever get." And then, as the musicians started to play, they stepped outside to the scrutinizing gazes of the wedding guests. Astrid swallowed, but kept her head high and hoped she wouldn't by accident stumble over the hem of her dress.

The ceremony itself went by in a blur. First, they were walking up to the dais to take their place in front of the wedding guests. And then, as if time had slipped, it was almost over and they spoke their vows and exchanged the wedding bands Hiccup had crafted so beautifully that Astrid made a mental note to take a closer look at the metal on her finger later on.

Hiccup was holding her hands in his while speaking his last lines, his eyes fixed on her own. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. The officiator was speaking again, reciting some prayer or blessing Astrid didn't understand. His next words, though, she did understand since Hiccup had given her the translation for them during the rehearsal with a blush creeping over his cheeks. 'You may kiss the bride.'

The world seemed to slow down for a moment as Hiccup reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand, tilting her head up slightly. He swallowed visibly and leaned down. It must have only taken a blink of an eye, but for Astrid it felt like a small eternity until they both closed their eyes almost simultaneously. And then his lips were on hers, brushing against them with soft pressure. It was a small kiss, over before Astrid got the chance to melt into it, but it still made her breath hitch and her skin tingle. They parted and slowly opened their eyes, still only a mere breath apart, their gazes locked. He looked at her star struck and Astrid wondered whether she did too.

Hiccup brushed his thumb tenderly over her cheek and smiled at her. She couldn't help but let her own lips stretch into one of her own. Her face felt warmer than it had done before, but she couldn't care less.

The bubble that seemed to shield them from their surroundings burst when suddenly people were all around them, clapping Hiccup on the back and saying their blessings to Astrid. Up on the very front was Eret, giving his usual inappropriate comments and squishing the newly wed pair in a big hug.

"I would have wolf-whistled for you two, but you didn't make it steamy enough for that," he bemoaned. Shaking his head, he continued his little tirade, "Didn't I specifically tell you to swipe her right off her feet with that smooch?"

Hiccup instantly dissolved into a stuttering mess while Astrid's face caught fire. But Eret just laughed and left them to the mercy of the rest of the wedding guests. And if Hiccup's deepening mortification was any indication then the comments he received from the guests weren't any better than Eret's. For once, Astrid was glad that she didn't understand a word of the English language.

Over the heads of the guests that were still coming strong at them, Astrid spotted her father fighting his way through the groups of strangers still congratulating them to their union. When he was finally through, he immediately pulled Astrid into a tight embrace, squishing he against his chest and drawing in a shaky breath.

"Oh my sweet little girl," he said and the brought her at arms-length again to thoroughly look at her. "My, if only your mother could see you like this. She always said you'd make for a stunning bride."

Astrid subconsciously reached for the comb in her hair. At least a small part of her mother was with her.

Her father addressed Hiccup, his expression instantly becoming serious. "I still don't know how this is possible and Astrid told me not to ask, so I won't," he said with a lowered voice.

It had taken him long enough, but a few days back he'd finally recognized Hiccup. He hadn't dared ask the boy in front of Drago, so he'd approached Astrid, demanding answers she couldn't give without betraying Hiccup and Toothless. She'd told him that yes, he was really Hiccup, but for now he couldn't know anything more than that. Her father had fallen into a sullen silence after that, but after some time he'd grumbled, "At least the lad's finally not so little any longer, although, he's still a twig of a Viking."

"But know this, boy, if you hurt my little girl in any way, I swear to all the god's in Valhalla I will kill you. If Astrid doesn't beat me to it, that is." He clapped Hiccup – who was rather put together for having just received a death threat and curtly nodded - on the shoulder. For a few moments, Leif Hofferson just looked at Hiccup, then he muttered, "It's good to see you alive, though. And tell your mother the same. Stoick misses you both terribly; he hasn't been himself ever since."

"I'll tell her," Hiccup said.

After her father, a few more guests gave their blessings. Valka, standing at the entrance to the house, directed the servants who were carrying a bunch of tables and redecorated the whole place. Within minutes, they had made a big sitting area for eating and kitchen maids were walking around carrying plates with snacks.

Astrid took the moment while everybody was focusing on the food to pay them much attention to turn to Hiccup. It still had to fully sink in that they were married now; it probably would take some time until it did. She didn't see herself being wife, and she couldn't quite relate 'husband' with Hiccup either. Of course, those things would grow with time.  
"So," she said, not really sure what to say at all, but feeling like they need to talk.

"So," he replied, "here we are." He shifted his eyes from the various people to her. An awkward silence drifted between them for a moment.

"When did your father figure it out?" he asked eventually.

"A few days back."

Hiccup snorted. "Certainly took him long enough. I was actually quite surprised that he didn't say anything earlier."

"Well, he believed you dead and you have changed quite a bit in the past years. But when he saw your mother, it kind dawned on him." A servant with a tray of pastries walked near them and Astrid's eyes immediately followed the delicious food she'd been waiting to get more of since she'd tried them with Valka the other day. A hand snaked into hers and when she looked, Hiccup smiled at her.

"Hungry?" he asked and beckoned the servant near with a wave of his free hand.

Astrid huffed with amusement. "Starving." She picked a few of the little pastries and bit into one. The baker's wife had been right. Those were even better than the once she'd tried yesterday. She sighed in contend as the sweet flavor spread in her mouth.

Hiccup shook his head at her. "Still as sweet a tooth as ever."

Astrid swallowed. "Well, I need something to work against your saltiness."

"Touché, Milady."

o~o~o

The day dragged on and at some point, the autumn winds forced the whole wedding party to go inside and continue celebrating in the big halls of the manor. It was already starting to get dark outside with the last rays of sunshine holding onto the horizon when the group of musicians that had continuously provided pleasing background music, reorganized themselves and the guests cleared the middle of the room, looking expectantly at the bride and the groom. Astrid had gotten into a conversation with some landlord's wife and hadn't been able to break it off without sounding rude. She was glad for the change going through the room. She looked for Hiccup, knowing they'd have the first dance now, but she couldn't see him. The woman whose name Astrid had already forgotten again, tapped her shoulder and pointed to her left. Hiccup was making his way through the guests to her. He approached as the firsts tones drifted across the room.

Hiccup held his hand out to her. "Milady," he said with a smile, "may I have this dance?" Without hesitation, she laid her hand in his and let him lead her to the middle of the room. He reached up with his other hand to quickly stroke his knuckles over her cheek before placing it on her waist. She laid hers on his shoulder and the music started with a rhythm quite familiar to her. It was a traditional wedding melody, one that she'd seen many coupled dance to. As a little girl, her father would have her stand on his feet so she could dance with him to the music. Later, he'd made her learn the steps herself, saying that like this she'd at least be able to dance with whomever she wanted at weddings if she didn't want to get married herself.

Hiccup guided her through the steps and a memory tingled at the back of her consciousness, but Astrid pushed it aside for the moment. She wanted to enjoy this, not think about the past now. Because even though getting married had never been much important to her, and she hadn't chosen this fate for herself, she was sure that at least some god in Asgard – be it Loki or Frigga, she didn't care either way – had a plan for them. And who was she to question the gods? This was her wedding, and she was going to make the best of it.

Hiccup twirled her around and she danced back into his embrace, their movements synchronized as though they had been doing this their whole lives. And still that memory made its way to the front of her mind. The people clapped to the beat around them and the speed picked up. Hiccup smiled at her as she once again twirled, the skirts of her dress flowing up, and she smiled back. Then, completely out of the blue, Hiccup pulled her close to him, flush with her back against his chest, and it came back to her.

Back when they'd been kids and still friends, just after she'd learned to dance, there had been a wedding on Berk and Astrid had wanted to dance just like everyone else had. She'd dragged Hiccup to the dancefloor and they'd stumble more than danced, but they'd had fun. They'd managed to keep to the steps until Hiccup had accidentally pulled her out of her twirl too soon and she'd ended up against him. After that they'd lost the pattern and just did their own, simplified version.

It was just like back then. Only now, Hiccup had done it on purpose and apparently knew how to get them back into the step-pattern. Astrid laughed and felt Hiccup's laugh vibrating from his chest to her back. The music slowed down again and eventually came to a halt. They stopped moving with it, a laugh still on their lips. Out of the hilarity of the moment Hiccup had managed to slip into their first dance as husband and wife, Astrid threw her arms around his neck and laughed. Hiccup's arms circled around her waist, pulling her closer. Sher didn't even notice how close they really were until his breath tingled her ear. A shiver ran down her spine and when she looked up into his face she found that they were just mere inches apart. Somewhere at the back of her consciousness she heard the guest clapping politely and the music starting again. But in that moment, all that she really was aware of was the young man looking down at her with those green, green eyes.

Without even realizing it at first, she stretched up, bridging the gap between them until his breath hit her mouth. It dawned on her then that she was about to kiss him; and she almost withdrew again. But then she thought again. She wanted to kiss him. And he was her husband now, so she had every right to kiss him whenever she pleased. Astrid pulled him down to her the last few inches at the collar of his tunic. He didn't object.

The kiss was different to the first one they'd shared earlier that day. This time, she initiated it and drew it out a bit longer. His lips were still soft against hers, but moved with more confidence and determination. Astrid allowed herself to melt against him, letting their breaths mingle. In that moment, she couldn't recall why she'd been having so many qualms this morning before the ceremony. So far, being married to Hiccup wasn't so bad.

She smoothed her hands over his neck and pulled back, going back down from standing on the tips of her toes to her usual height. Yeah, she decided as she saw the dopey grin forming on her husband's face, being married to Hiccup wouldn't be so bad.

 **Whoohoo! This story is now officially one year old! And frankly, a year ago I had planned on being as good as done with it by now, but since life is a bitch and I am fast approaching my finals in April, this story had to step down from being my priority over these past months. I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you to every single one of you awesome people who have stuck with me until now and left comments, and faves and follows. You guys have no idea how much your support means to me! Without you I probably would have given up on this story by now and just let it die in the depths of my flashdrive! So, all the credits for making it this far go to all of you! *places a ginormous cake in front of you* I've had a rough few months aside from school and reading all your comments sometimes was the only thing that kept me going at all. So thank you for making me feel like I am actually producing something relatively good here. It means the world and I wish I could hug ya'll!**

 **Aside from that, this story still has a long way to go, but I hope that I will be more consistent with updates in the future. I can't promise anything, though, so please, BEAR WITH ME! The first part of the story is almost done and just one or two (depends whether I split the next segment up or just pack it into one huge chapter) chapters more and after that the pace of the story will pick up big time. Like, no dragging on and on and on with side-plots, THINGS ARE GOING TO GO DOWN! We'll meet more characters and expand the world a little more until we go back into more canon like waters (quite literally.)**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave your reviews, I love reading them! Until next time, Miti 3**


	12. Lost and Found pt1

**A/N: Guess who's back from the dead (aka finals and graduation hell)! This gal! Anyway, this chapter contains smut below the little ~o~o~ symbol-thingy, so avert thee eyes all younglings and whoever wishes not to read it!**

Hiccup watched over the still strong going feast. He just needed a little break from all the people who suddenly were really interested in him when they usually just scrutinized him whenever he'd met them before. He needed a break from all the noise and talk and the sound of music that just never seemed to stop even though the musicians had long since started to repeat the same melodies over and over again. The dinner was long over already and, in his opinion, everyone could go home by now. But since this was a wedding – his _wedding_ – they would stay at the Bludvist manor until the first rays of the sun would poke over the horizon, a handful would reside in the guest rooms for the better part of tomorrow, and Hiccup didn't doubt that the staff of the manor would have to pick up drunkards who'd fallen asleep tomorrow morning.

He had found himself a relatively quiet space behind a pillar that was just standing there for decoration. From here, he could watch how the feast was going, but keep to himself nonetheless. He spotted Astrid talking to – or rather being forced to talk to – the wives of a few of Drago's council members. She nodded along while the women probably told her about the latest fashion trends from the south or other comparable shallow topic. From his view, he could see her tight smile she kept hidden behind her glass of wine. She probably didn't understand a word of what they were saying, but was too polite to point that flaw out to them.

"You look like a doofus falling in love. Hard," said a female voice right beside him. Hiccup jumped and nearly spilled his own wine on his clothes. Cursing under his breath he turned to whoever startled him like that.

"Heather," he reprimanded her, "what in Thor's name?" Or course it had been Heather. He should have known the moment he hadn't seen her in the room in front of him for more than a few minutes.

The young woman snorted. "You know exactly what." She had her arms folded in front of her chest and glared at him. "You are falling for her." Hiccup scratched the back of his neck. Heather wasn't wrong there, he was falling for Astrid. No longer were his feelings for her those of a boy with a crush on a girl that was unreachable for him; she was right in front of him now. He'd actually gotten to know her and would have enough time to get to know her even more, giving him a base for feelings deeper than superficial attraction. "Stop it. Right now."

His face dropped. "Heath, come on."

"I am serious, Horren. Stop it." Hiccup knew where her concerns were coming from. Heather didn't know anything about his past, only that he'd one day appeared in Greuelorm and was originally from the Barbaric Archipelago; something they had in common. But that meant that she didn't know that he knew Astrid for as long as he could remember even if they had drifted apart eventually. She didn't know that he'd had the biggest crush on her. And she didn't know that Astrid knew more about him than her. Heather believed – just like everyone else except for Eret – that she was just a random girl Drago had picked for him. Which was also partially right, but at the same time couldn't be farther from the truth.

"Heather, stop worrying. "

"Screw you. If I were in your position, developing feelings for someone I met just a fortnight ago, you'd be telling me the same thing. Oh wait, you did just that last summer when I got involved with that sailor!" She threw her hands up. Weren't they surrounded by so many people, Heather would be yelling at him. But like this, she was just hissing harshly.

"Because he was gonna leave you anyway!" he hissed back, "He was gone within the month, Heather. Astrid-"

"Will make you vulnerable! We both know that this is just yet another plan of Drago to control you. He gives you something to love, he has the means to make you his little puppet by taking it away again," Heather concluded. She looked smug about her findings, but Hiccup shook his head.

"You think I don't know that? Really, Heather, I am the one living with him. But have you ever thought about the possibility that Astrid could make me fight back even more?"

She looked at him with a hard expression, her lips thin. "I hope for you that you'll be right with that, Horren. I hope for you both." She turned away from him, returning to the ongoing party. "Just don't get your heart broken in the process."

Hiccup stared after her, not knowing whether to be irritated with her behavior or glad that she cared. They had gone through quite a lot in the years he'd known her and he didn't want to lose that friendship over a little dispute on his love-life that – frankly – he wasn't sure existed yet, even though he _was_ married now. He stepped out of his hiding place, his lips stretching into a goofy smile that he couldn't suppress for the life of him when he laid eyes on Astrid again. Damn it, Heather was right; he was falling for Astrid. Hard.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, making him stumble ever so slightly. "You should really tell Heather already," Eret said. "She's been chewing my ass out about your bride and how you can be so casual around someone you've 'just met' all evening."

Hiccup sighed. "It's not that easy, Eret. I wanna tell Heather, I do, but she's made it clear in the past that she's loyal first to her cousins and then everyone else. And I can't have her even accidentally blab to Viggo or Ryker about anything. They'd tell Drago and I'd be a dead man with a dead dragon."

His friend didn't seem convinced. "You told me everything, though."

"That's completely different," Hiccup fought off. "You have no motivation to tell Drago. You hate his guts more than I do."

"True, but I think you won't tell Heather just because you don't want your past," Eret gestured to Heather who was dancing with some man probably double her age, "to mingle with your future." He now pointed to Astrid. Then he frowned. "Does Astrid even know you have a past with Heather?"

"Ugh, no she doesn't," Hiccup groaned.

"Dude, you really have to get some serious talking done with your girls. Preferably with Astrid before you two get started on the honey of this month."

"What even is there to tell her? Heather and I hooked up once years ago, and it was a mistake. That's it."

"Then say just that and make it clear right away that there is nothing going on before she could even get the wrong idea. Be honest with her and you'll save yourself a whole lot of trouble."

Hiccup was silent for a moment. "Okay, who are you and what have you done to Eret?" It wasn't like Eret to give him useful advice when it came to relationships. Even though Eret was older and more experienced than him in general, he'd never had anything that lasted longer than a few weeks.

"I just don't want you to make the same stupid mistakes that I did – and the gods know I made a ton – and screw up what could be a perfectly good marriage right at the beginning."

Hiccup nodded. The way Eret argued made sense to him. Now if only he could also tell him how to approach this subject with Astrid that would be just perfect.

"Oh, and you probably want to come clear with Heather about Berk and what you are hiding in that crater as well. I don't think she'd go tell Viggo."

"Yeah, yeah. But just not tonight. Or probably the whole next week. Or month."

Eret grinned. "Wanna enjoy your honey month, eh?" Hiccup's face flushed bright red and he sputtered unintelligible word. "You better get started with the wedding night, then, before it gets too late and your wife's passed out from Valka's special punch." Eret pointed towards Astrid who had just received a large glass of his mother's very potent punch from one of the women she was talking to.

"Who even allowed my mother to make that stuff?" Hiccup asked as he made his way towards Astrid.

"No one. She allowed herself."

"Oh gods, this is great. Just great." Hiccup reached Astrid as she was taking the first sip of the intoxicating beverage.

"Unless you want to be passed out in some corner within the hour, I wouldn't drink that," he said and nodded to the punch in her hand. The other women wisely chose to find another prey to share their gossips with.

Astrid cocked an eyebrow and swallowed her sip. "And why is that? I was told to try it. Apparently, it's some traditional drink or something."

Hiccup snorted. "Traditional drink my ass. It's my mother's special punch that Drago forbade her to make ever again. And while I don't usually agree with him, this is one of those rare cases that I fully support his decision."

"What in Thor's name could she have put in it to make you so paranoid over it? It tastes really nice actually."

"Yes, but that's just because of all the sweet fruits and juices she throws in there. The rest is a concoction that could knock a Monstrous Nightmare right out with just a barrel. A small one."

Astrid looked wearily between her drink and Hiccup back and forth. "You're…kidding, right?"

Hiccup shook his head no. "I've seen the effects it has on Drago. He declared his undying love for my mother and proceeded to kiss Ryker. Not a minute later and he was out cold under the table. Hel broke loose and we had to get a whole lot of new furniture. That was the last party my mother got to throw for quite a while."

When Hiccup didn't break out in laughter and told her he was just joking, Astrid nodded slowly, looked for the nearest servant and placed her drink on his tray without taking another sip.

"I think I'm done drinking for tonight, anyway." She eyed him with curiosity. "Though, I gotta ask, have you ever drunken this stuff?" She gestured to the bowl of punch sitting somewhat hidden behind a barrel of wine.

Hiccup nodded. "Once. And I don't remember a thing from that night And since neither does Eret, I don't think I ever wanna find out what happened."

"Nothing good coming from the two of you getting wasted together, huh?"

"Nope. Not at all. Who do you think gave Drago that punch in the first place?" He smirked.

"I'll keep that in mind for the future," Astrid said and they laughed together for a moment. Hiccup couldn't help but think that she had the most beautiful laugh in the world. Their gazes locked, the laughter still twinkling in her eyes. He brushed the back of his hand against hers, quietly hoping she'd take it. He'd had enough of this party and all those people seeking conversation with ham and his newly wed wife when the only thing he wanted to do was for them to get some peace and quiet. Up until now, they had been playing pretend for all those watchful eyes around them; acting like they didn't really know each other and repeating the same story over and over to anyone who asked of how their fathers had arranged the whole thing for their marriage-lazy brute over and over while leaving out the little detail of the gamble that had gotten them in front of the altar in the first place. Apparently, the higher-ranking society wouldn't be too pleased with their leader finding a bride for his stepson by letting her father choose between her and his business. And even less so with the father of said bride for agreeing to the deal just to keep his wealth.

"It's the stuff people expect to read in fairy-tales and stories from far away, not happening right in front of their faces. And I intend on keeping it that way," Drago had said just this morning. Hiccup had had half a mind of asking him why he'd gone through with it in the first place then if it would be so looked down upon, but Drago must have read his question in his cinched eyebrows and shot him a glare that clearly said not to pry further.

Keeping up this whole act was exhausting and tiresome, not to speak of being up since dawn after a long day of running errands.

Astrid thread her fingers through his and gave them a little tug. Hiccup didn't know whether she'd intended on the latter or not but found her casting a quick glance to the exit regardless. His mouth went dry. With all their prepping and rehearsing, this was the part they'd never even mentioned. They both knew they'd need to retire from the festivities at some point. Together. This was their wedding and a marriage needed to be… consumed. The moment they would exit, everyone would know what they were up to. And he knew from all the weddings he'd ever attended that the leaving of the bride and groom always, without exceptions, included a fair amount of teasing and indecent comments from the guests; something he wasn't looking forward to the least. Hiccup swallowed the lump having formed in his throat.

"Should we…?" He started and followed her gaze. He couldn't stop the blush creeping into his cheeks. She gripped his hand more firmly. Her cheeks had also taken on a bit more colour than just a moment before. Her teeth worrying over her lower lip, Astrid nodded. Still neither of them made to move towards the door.

"Uh, do we, I don't know, just go, or?" Astrid prompted

"Ah, yeah, unless you want to make some big announcement?" Hiccup quirked an eyebrow and was relieved to see her roll her eyes at him and lightly swat his arm, a faint smile ghosting her lips.

"So, we just make a run for it?"

"Yes"

"On three. One."

"Two"

"Three," they said together and made their way through the people as inconspicuously as possible; neither of them wanting to prompt the wolf-whistles again that had already arisen for the fairly innocent kiss they'd shared after their dance. Once they reached the door, Hiccup looked back and saw Eret skillfully blocking the way for any nosy wedding-attendants and giving them a thumbs-up with a smirk Hiccup hoped Astrid didn't see. They started along the hallway and already he could hear that their absence had been noticed. Once again, he was glad that Astrid didn't understand everything that was being called after them, but the furious blush on her cheeks told him that she didn't need to. Wolf-whistling, after all, sounded the same in every language.

Astrid gathered the front of her skirts in one hand and they started running, still clutching each other's hands. Hiccup led the way up to the private quarters of the manor and away from the feast. At some point Astrid stumbled over her dress despite her effort to hold it up and they broke into laughter.

"Gods, I can't even properly flee my own wedding celebrations in this thing!" She exclaimed, regathering her skirts. Their giggles accompanied them all the way to the chambers in the east-wing that had been cleared for them. Hiccup fumbled with the door for a second, and then they were in and already shutting the world out of their little domain. The slumped against the door, heaving slightly and still shaking with escaping giggles. The maids must have been in here just shortly before them, for all the candles were already lit and a fire was burning in the fireplace, warming the night air and bathing everything in a warm hue.

"This," Hiccup said, "really isn't how I'd imagined it this morning." Astrid squeezed his hand.

"How did you imagine it, then?"

"Oh, a whole lot more awkwardness, a few creeps hanging out in the hallways and leering, me probably tripping on the stairs and breaking my leg, maybe a murder happening during dinner. Just a completely normal wedding disaster, you know."

Astrid grinned. "Freaking out much, huh?"

"Eh, that's one way to put it." Hiccup shrugged and they fell silent, gazes locked on each other.

Hiccup's breath hitched when he again let the beauty of her hit him with full force. It wasn't only her face that enthralled him, but the whole composition of her. The way her hair cascaded down her back and single locks framed her complexion and the way her red gown hugged all her curves without revealing too much had him craving for his sketchbook to capture her forever in coal. But he wasn't sure he could do her justice with his drawing skills. Maybe no one could. Nonetheless, he imagined the way he'd depict her if she'd let him draw her. A Valkyrie that could bewitch any man with just a look, with a mighty axe strapped to her back that would poke out from behind her just so to make the tips of the sharp blade frame her head. A beauty born to fight. A warrior underneath the façade of an enthralling woman; or maybe the other way around.

He snapped out of his thoughts. A mighty axe. The one thing she was currently missing to even be that mighty warrior he knew she was.

"I almost forgot," he said, rousing her from whatever she was thinking about right now. He hadn't even noticed her leaning her head on his shoulder until the weight was gone despite never taking his eyes off her. "I got something for you."

"Oh?"

Hiccup nodded and led her through the main-room of the suit and to the adjacent room; the bedroom. He'd put her present there last night just before going to sleep - or trying to do so, really. It lay on the chest of drawers, still wrapped in the cloth he'd transported it in. Hiccup picked it up and gave it to his wife with a smile. Her eyebrows rose with the unanticipated weight of it, but she didn't falter once, beholding the shape and distribution of weight that should be all too familiar to her.

"Is that…?" She gasped and immediately began to tear the cloth away, revealing a sturdy wooden hilt and the head of a double-bladed battle-axe.

"I figured you'd prefer having a weapon again over a chest full of jewelry what with your old one being unfixable," he explained and rubbed his neck. "I'm breaking about a dozen traditions with this, but I thought you wouldn't mind…"

Astrid tore her eyes away from the weapon. "Wouldn't mind? Hiccup, this is perfect!" She started gushing over all the little details he'd put into the design of the axe. The ornaments on the blades matched those on their wedding-bands and resembled patterns and symbols typical for the Barbaric Archipelago. He hadn't risked carving Berk-specific designs in fear of Drago recognizing them and connecting all the dots, but the nod to their heritage was unmistakably there. On the other end of the hilt, he had put a replica of the trademark skulls she wore on almost all of her outfits somewhere; a little detail that he always noticed with a smile, so it had to be a part of her new axe.

Astrid ran her fingers over the metal and made for testing the sharp edge, but Hiccup stopped her.

"It's sharp. Really sharp, trust me." He held up his hand with a red line running over the base of his thumb where he'd cut himself doing the same thing she'd wanted to do. Testing the sharpness with a finger. Astrid snorted.

"That's why your thumb has been bleeding everywhere a few days ago?" she asked mockingly, but stayed away from the sharp edge nonetheless. Her expression softened again. "Thank you, Hiccup." She pressed the weapon flat against her chest and rose to her tiptoes, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips that he gladly reciprocated.

"You're welcome, Milady," he mumbled against her lips. After they parted, Astrid's brows knit together and she pouted slightly.

"What?" he asked in confusion. Had he done something wrong? No, she'd initiated the kiss, he'd just played along. "What is it?"

Her shoulders sagged. "You made me this amazing axe and I got nothing for you in return."

He huffed a laugh. "You know, it's tradition for the groom to get his bride something, not the other way around."

"But I'm still feeling bad now."

"Astrid, I would have made you an axe to replace you old one regardless of any traditions. If I hadn't given it to you now, then you would have gotten it in a week or so," he tried to argue.

Astrid chewed on her lip. "I don't know if a random gift would have made me feel any better."

Hiccup sighed. "Alright, if you got such a big problem with gifts, than I can bring that one back to the forge a-"

"No!" she suddenly exclaimed, hugged the weapon in question tighter, and took a step backward. "I'm gonna keep this axe. It's mine now; you gave it to me."

He laughed. "So you'll stop feeling bad about presents?"

Astrid nodded. "Yeah, yeah, fine." It was her turn to let out a sigh. "Just please don't overdo it."

"Deal." He grinned at her.

Then the atmosphere changed. Hiccup couldn't pinpoint what had caused it, but suddenly the lightness of their playful banter vanished and something else took over that made his heart stumble and speed up rapidly.

Astrid put the axe down, leaning it against the wall, and walked up to him. She smoothed her hands over his chest. Then, she was pulling him down at the collar of his shirt and kissing him slowly. Hiccup put his hands on her waist. When she pulled away, his lips followed hers, deepening the kiss, and she all but melted against him. They broke apart to gasp for air. Up close, Hiccup could see all the different shades of blue in her eyes and how the black of them started to swallow it all up.

"Help me with my hair?" Astrid whispered, her breath hitting his lips. He swallowed hard and nodded, letting go of her so she could turn around.

Her hair was still in the intricate updo with sections completely free. He almost felt sorry for taking all the pins holding the flaxen waves in place out. Almost. Slowly, her hair was coming undone under his fingers and he couldn't resist the urge to run them through the length of it one the last pin was removed. It was just as soft and silky as it looked. He was so engrossed with it that he didn't notice her turning back to him until the strands left his hands and her lips were on his again.

He was getting drunk on her kisses and couldn't pull her close enough, still a bit surprised that she actually let him somewhere at the back of his consciousness. He managed to guide them to the bed without breaking the kiss and they stumbled into it. He landed on his back and she crawled on top of him, straddling him. He lost track of the times they had to part for air only to dive right back in. He caressed down her sides, drawing a shiver and a soft moan from her when his thumbs slightly grazed the sides of her breasts through the fabric of her dress. Astrid moved on top of him, bringing her legs up, but her skirts got in the way. Together they tugged them up to her thighs, giggling at their clumsiness, and Hiccup couldn't resist smoothing his hands over the newly exposed skin. He didn't dare venture too far up her leg, yet: not without her explicit permission, anyway. They may he married, and she was definitely grinding down lightly on him, but he didn't want to push his luck with her and cross borders without her consent. He knew of grooms who just took their brides as if they were entitled to their bodies, but that went against all ethical values he held. Should Astrid not want to go all the way, he'd respect that. So, he placed his hands on her waist again before they could develop a mind of their own and go wandering off.

Hiccup focused on kissing her, on how her lips melted perfectly against his own. He grazed his teeth against her lower lip. He kissed her thoroughly again, enjoying the little sounds she made while their breaths mingled. A lock of her hair fell from behind her ear into his face and he smoothed it back again and over her shoulder. His mouth followed the path of his fingers and he left a trail of kisses along her jaw to the spot right below her ear where her head met her neck. He elicited another moan from her. Astrid tilted her head, exposing her neck to him. He trailed open mouth kisses on her pale skin, drinking up her sweet scent – flowers, she smelled like a patch of flowers in a forest meadow; she must have put on perfume. He felt her pulse beating fast underneath his lips, stumbling once when he lightly bit down and instantly kissed the same spot lovingly again. Her breath hitched for a moment, but then turned into yet another of those delicious, high-pitched sounds that were music to his ears.

Hiccup didn't know how much time passed while they explored each other for the first time – given, still through layers of fabric separating tough from skin, but that only made their anticipation grow. Time was a foreign concept and didn't apply, for every it slowed whenever he drew a gasp of his name from his bride's lips.

"Hiccup," Astrid mumbled. Sitting up, she tugged at his tunic and eagerly reached for the bit of skin being exposed of his stomach. Hiccup got the hint and quickly discarded the piece of clothing. Her eyes took the sight of him in with such a luxurious intensity that Hiccup thought she might be mentally devouring him. Her hands slowly followed the path of her eyes, sending the most pleasant of shivers through his body. He knew that he'd started filling out a little in the time he'd been training with Eret – the man was a genius when it came to bringing out the most of even the clumsiest and scrawniest of the litter – , and flying a Night Fury certainly had helped as well what with all the risky maneuvers Toothless and him liked to pull. But he still didn't dare to think of himself in any way as physically appealing. He was still scrawny compared to men like Eret.

So when Astrid seemed to take particular liking to his abdomen and whatever traces of muscles she found there to be intriguing, he couldn't help but play off his arising insecurity with saying: "Never seen a shirtless man before?"

Astrid snorted and shot her eyes up to his just long enough for him to see the humor sparkling in them before resuming tracing every inch of his skin with those same eyes- "Oh, as a matter of fact, I've even seen _you_ shirtless once already."

Hiccup cocked an eyebrow and rested his hands on her bare thighs next to his torso again, rubbing idle circles with his fingers. "Can't get enough of all," he gestured to himself, "this, Milady?"

She smirked. "Well, back in the forge, you were way too fast with changing your shirt for my liking; I couldn't get a thorough enough look! And now that I do, I gotta say that I like what I see," she traced over a constellation of muscles she found with her nails, "very much." Her voice had become husky and Hiccup felt his pants tighten a tad bid more. With a growl escaping from deep within his throat, he sat up and in one smooth motion pulled her impossibly closer to him and kissed her in a manner that made clear what he wanted. And Astrid kissed back with equal ferocity.

 **~o~o~**

Astrid trembled. Not I fear, though, but because of the way Hiccup held her and kissed her and touched her. Who would have thought that Hiccup could not only kiss her in a way that made her toes curl, but also run his hands over her body in a way that made her feel both in control and completely at his mercy at the same time. He'd made it abundantly clear that she set the pace and should she even so much as mutter for him to stop, he would without a question. Not that she wanted him to stop right now, anyway. She was completely lost in his embrace and his mouth on hers. Astrid wanted to get closer still and wrapped her legs around his waist as she did with her arms around his neck, but found her dress again to be extremely bothersome; constricting her breath and the sleeves, as beautiful as they were, were just plain out annoying. She reached for the lacing on the back of the bodice, trying to find the knot keeping them in place to get rid of the dress once and for all. It proved to be as difficult a task to tug at the right strings to loosen it as it was to tug at her skirts; especially with Hiccup swirling his tongue around hers, distracting her.

Astrid broke the kiss with a sigh; though, it didn't stop Hiccup from kissing her neck again the moment her lips left his. She finally found the knot and hoped she was pulling the right strings to untie it.

"You need help with that?" Hiccup mumbled against her ear, nibbling her earlobe. Gods, he was driving her crazy. She nodded, unable to speak. His hands moved from tangled in her hair and on her thigh to her back, nudging her own hands out of the way. The bodice loosened around her torso and she took a deep breath without the constriction of the fabric fitted tight against her skin. They quickly had her peeled out of the dress and it landed on the floor on a pile with Hiccup's shirt, leaving her only in her undergarments. At some point — she couldn't even recall when — she must have wiggled off her shoes.

The minute the dress was off, Hiccup latched back onto her skin, kissing his way over her torso and leaving trail after trail of shivers and goosebumps. His hands seemed to have multiplied, roaming over her back, her stomach, tangling into her hair and trailing the length of her legs. But she cut his exploration short.

"Not fair," she mewled. She felt for the clasp of his belt and undid it. Hiccup growled against her collarbone and, just as quick as he'd sit them up, he brought them back down and flipped them over. There was something primal to the way he kissed her then, pressing his weight down on her but not crushing her, holding her hands over her head, threading their fingers. And she loved it; loved this assertive side to him that stood in such stark contrast with what she usually knew of him. It stoked the flame within her that kept growing and growing the more they kissed and touched and undressed in each other's arms.

Astrid arched into him, her breasts pressing into his chest through the fabric of her bindings. There were still so many barriers between them that needed to go, and fast.

"Hiccup," she said as they parted for air, "take off your pants. Now." He complied her command with a sly grin.

"Bossy much, huh?" he said and his pants joined the pile. She rolled her eyes and pulled him back down to her. As much as she usually enjoyed their banter, she had other things on her mind that involved their mouths in other things than exchanging wits. She wrapped her legs around his hips, resting her feet on the back of his tones thighs; as the rest of him, his legs also weren't stretching with bulk, but still lithe muscles wrapped around bones and moved underneath skin that spoke promises of a strength solely unique to him.

Astrid groaned against his lips when he lowered himself completely onto her and his covered erection brushed against her center. They started a grinding against each other, moaning and gasping into each other's mouths, and grasping at every inch of skin they could find. There was nothing innocent about anything they were doing anymore. They moved with a desperate need for each other that left Astrid breathless. Even though she'd never before gone further than kissing before, she'd heard enough stories from other women to know what to expect. One of the reasons she'd never really considered marriage was the prospect of the wedding night, of being a sole subject of lust for her husband to use as he wished. She didn't feel that would be the case with Hiccup. Everything so far had been from her initiative and he happily followed her along. And he also didn't just take what she offered him, he also made sure he gave back equally as much if not even more.

She wiggled out of her breast-bindings and the moment they were gone, Hiccup went from devouring her mouth to kissing his way down her neck and collarbone. He grazed his fingers against the side of one bare breast, slowly moving over the newly uncovered skin. His eyes were asking for permission, that she readily gave him with a nod, before he ran his thumb over her nipple and his mouth moved to the other. He flicked his tongue over it and she arched into his touch more, burying her hands in his hair. Every flick of his tongue send shocks of pleasure through her body to her center. He gently rolled the other rosy bud between his fingers and she swore. The more he played with her breasts, massaged them and left kisses on them, the more she felt the tension at her center growing. She buckled her hips into his and he groaned against her skin. He pressed back against her and she whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut. If they kept this up much longer, she feared she'd go crazy.

Hiccup detached his mouth from her breast. His hot breath hit her sweat-glistening skin.

"Gods, you're beautiful," he breathed. She opened her eyes again to find him mapping her almost naked body with his eyes. Her face was radiating with heat; not from the compliment, but from the lust burning in his eyes hot as a dragon's fire.

"Not bad yourself," she said and let her eyes travel over his body again, " Really, really not bad. But I thought we'd already established that?"

Hiccup smirked despite the blush creeping over his face and leaned down. He brushed his lips against hers and ran his tongue over her lower lip, but didn't go in for the kiss Astrid had anticipated. Instead, when she angled her head up to get it herself, he leaned away just enough to escape her by the fraction of an inch.

"You're a minx ," he whispered and grazed her lip with his teeth.

"I'm no such thing," she growled, digging her nails into his shoulder blades. He growled right back.

"Yes, you are." He claimed her lips before she could argue further.

They kept kissing and grinding and groping and caressing, but it wasn't enough. She needed more, needed him closer. She gasped his name and one look was enough to convey the message she didn't dare put into words.

"Are you sure?" he asked, pressing his forehead to hers.

Astrid nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"You know, we don't have to do anything if you don't-"

"Hiccup. I just said I'm sure." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Or do _you_ not want to…?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I think what _I_ want is pretty much obvious." She grinned and reached for the hem of his breeches. They discarded their last pieces with a lot more awkwardness than before; the desperate need from before put on hold, slowing their movements.

 _This is really happening_ , she thought as she wiggled out of her undergarment. Not that she hadn't worked towards this for the past hour or so that they were slowly getting to know each other on a more intimate level. But wanting something and it actually happening were to completely different things. And even though she knew in theory pretty well how it would go, she suddenly didn't know where to put her hands and what to do with her legs. Did she wrap them around his hips again? Or did she just lie there and waited for Hiccup to do all the work? Would she even be really doing _anything_? Her thoughts raced and stumbled over each other, new uncertainties popping up faster than she could keep track. She silently cursed herself for being so inexperienced when it was so obvious that Hiccup must at least have some experience. She didn't think he'd kept his virginity, but had never asked him in fear of making things weird, and had also not bothered her until now that she wished they were on more equal grounds again. But despite her troubles with herself, she wouldn't back out now just because she didn't know as much about sex as she'd thought. She wanted him, needed him.

Being so preoccupied with herself, she hadn't even noticed Hiccup crawling back over her until he cupped her face in his hand. "Astrid."

"Hm?" She tried to pretend like she didn't almost have a mental shutdown, but must have failed miserably.

"Are you really sure about this? Because I won't touch you if you don't give me your full consent." His brows were drawn together, and he seemed to search her face and her eyes for any indication that she'd rather just stop.

"Hiccup, I told you; I really am sure about this. I want this." He didn't seem convinced, though. "It's just," She looked away from his piercing eyes that began to fill with worry. And the last thing she needed right now was him worrying about her, no matter how sweet the sentiment was. She took a deep breath. "It's just that I don't really…know…how? I mean, I know how! I just don't… I've never…" she groaned and covered her face with her hands. "I've never done this before, okay?" There it was out and her face was bursting into flames.

There was a moment of silence that felt like eternity to Astrid.

"Um, okay. I never assumed you did. Or didn't. It doesn't matter to me whether you've had sex before or not. I mean, it's kinda nice to know because I wouldn't want to have accidentally hurt you. Oh Thor, I'm rambling. Why don't you stop me when I'm rambling."

Astrid peeked out from underneath her fingers. He was blushing just like her and it took some of the anxiety away. She shyly asked, "Have _you_ ever…?"

Hiccup rubbed his neck. "Uh, yes. Is that… a problem for you?" He looked at her sheepishly.

Astrid shook her head. "No. I… kinda already thought so." She sighed dramatically. "Gods, we probably should have talked about all this _before_ getting naked and all."

Hiccup laughed. "Yes, we definitely should have."

"We're a mess." Astrid wrapped her arms around his neck again and they shared a short, sweet kiss. That turned into a second, longer one. By the third one, Astrid opened her mouth for him, and their tongues resumed their dancing around each other. She felt herself shake off the tension she'd worked herself into and melted into his touch again, the worries having disappeared for the most part. She noticed how Hiccup took his sweet time getting her worked up again. One hand buried in her hair, he slid his other one over the length of her leg until he reached the apex of her thigh. When his fingers grazed her womanhood for the first time, she gasped. He stroked her folds and pressed the little nub at her center until she rolled her hips in rhythm with his fingers, always readjusting his technique to her reactions. It didn't take him long and she was a moaning mess underneath him, crying out in pleasure, and clawing at his back that she was sure she left some scratches. Her toes curled and her legs trembled.

"Oh gods, please," She panted, arching her back and buckling her hips. "Hiccup!" He hummed against her neck. As many scratch marks as she may have left on him already, she probably had the same amount of hickeys covering both sides of her neck and maybe one or two over her collarbone. "I, ohhh hmmm, I need you."

He let go of her neck and looked at her intently. He drew his hand away from her womanhood, making her huff in disappointment, missing his touch already.

Hiccup opened his mouth and started to speak, but she cut hum off right away.

"If you ask me again if I'm sure, I'll throw you out of the window." She threatened, although she didn't think she had the intended effect in her current state of lust-hazed mind. It was sweet that he was so concerned about her, but she didn't need him to be sweet right now.

"Geez, no need for such drastic measures, milady," he said, shaking his head amusedly at her, and proceeded to kiss her long and leisurely. Astrid grabbed onto his back, pulling him impossibly closer, and he repositioned himself between her legs. She felt him grazing her entrance and instinctively opened her legs a bit more for him to settle between.

She gasped into his mouth when he slowly thrust into her for the first time. It didn't hurt, though, despite what she'd been expecting.

"You okay?" He asked her, panting a little and sounding strained.

Astrid took a deep breath and nodded, gradually getting used to the new sensation. "Yeah, just… keep going."

They started moving together, albeit Hiccup was admittedly doing all the 'work' while all Astrid cold manage to do was arching into him whenever he he a particularly sensitive spot. At some point, she drew her legs up and crossed her ankles over the small of his back, locking him against her. She pressed her face into the crook of his neck, breathing him in as yet another wave of pleasure washed over her.

"Astrid!" Hiccup groaned and gripped her hips with one hand while slamming the other one against the headrest of their bed.

They were a moaning mass of limbs and Astrid didn't know anymore where her body ended and his began, just that she was in pure bliss. Every once in a while, their lips found each other and they shared an open mouthed kiss that would be broken by another groan breaking out of either of them.

Astrid couldn't count the times that his name fell from her lips or how often she heard hers on his.

The hand on her hip wedged between them and Hiccup found the little nub at her center again. Astrid cried out, pressed into the mattress of the bed and threw her head back. "Gods!" Her legs were trembling and she knew the edge wasn't far for her anymore. And if the strain showing on his face was any indication, she was sure it wasn't much different for him either.

One last flick of his finger over her center and another powerful thrust, and she was crying out in ecstasy, and buckling into him. She was drowning in the wave of pleasure from her release that she didn't notice Hiccup following her over the edge just a few moments later.

She came down from her high panting and grappling for her senses to return to her. Her head was swimming and the next thing she knew, their foreheads pressed together. She slowly watched the green of his eyes return with a vibrancy that would have taken her breath away had she any left. She couldn't bring herself to break their connection just yet even though her eyelids were starting to drop with exhaustion. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him sweetly on the lips; the action standing in such stark contrast to what they'd just done that she couldn't help but smile. Hiccup pecked her lips once more before rolling off her and pulling her against his side.

"How do you feel?" He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Astrid snuggled into him some more, resting her head on his chest. She could hear his heart still pounding fast. "Good, actually. Tired, but really good. You?"

His chest vibrated when he hummed in appreciation. "Same." As if to illustrate it, he yawned and she couldn't hold back one of her own in return. Her mother had used to say that yawns were only contagious if you cared about the person deeply, maybe even loved them in some way. And her mother's sayings usually held true. Astrid marveled at the length they'd come in the short time that they were in each other's life again. It fueled what she'd tried to tried to ignore for a while now. She was falling for Hiccup and was spiraling down that path faster and faster.

Hiccup dropped a kiss to the crown of her head and pulled the blanket over them both, mumbling a 'good-night' to her that she returned only barely, already half asleep. The last thought that sneaked into her consciousness before sleep overcame her entirely was how glad she was that Hiccup ended up as her husband and no one else.

Sooo, that was part 1 of 2! Originally, I had wanted to post it all as one big-ass chapter, but it was over 13k long and it wouldn't have made it easy to give that smut-warning, so I decided to make a cut right there and just have a follow-up part instead (which is already written and just needs a little polishing, so you won't have to wait another HALF YEAR for my lazy ass to get things done). Speaking of taking HALF A YEAR (shame on me, all the shame on me), in case you wonderful people were curious just what the hell I've been up to again that I didn't update sooner: I've been busy studying for finals, taking my finals, and graduating from High School! (The actual graduation party will be in a few days, but I am officially done now!) WOOOHOOO! *opens a bottle of vodka and takes a shot* It has been a hell of a ride. (And no, I'm not underage drinking, it's actually legal back here in germany)

Thank you all who took their time to leave a little review on my work; reading through them always make my day and got me to write a little even when I was completely exhausted from all that's been going on lately. I can't begin to express how much reviews mean to me! Also, thanks to all those who have been hitting that follow/fave button (I'm seeing ya'll newlings here!), but I do wonder where in god's name you've dug up this story from. You really must have done some diggin' and I love you all for that! If I could I would give any and all of you who are even bothering to read this story a big hug and a month's worth of cookies! ? Please keep reviewing and hitting that follow/fave button! See you in a bit!


	13. Lost and Found pt2

A hand was caressing her back, moving up and down and making strokes on her skin. Astrid sighed in contend and curled around the warm body lying next to her.

"Good morning, Milady," Hiccup murmured against the crown of her head, not once stopping his caresses.

Astrid cracked an eye open and saw the freckled skin of his shoulder. "Morning," she yawned and turned her head to look at him. His hair was even more disheveled in the morning than it usually was. She might have contributed to that last night, though. Thinking back to how he'd buried both his hands in her hair the moment it was free from the braids, she guessed that she probably had just as disheveled hair as he. Hiccup looked at her from sleepy eyes but with a frond expression. Their legs were tangled and her hand was resting on the side of his ribcage. And while he was hugging her to him, she was using his other arm as a makeshift pillow.

Hiccup leaned towards her and pressed their foreheads together but didn't break eye-contact.

Astrid enjoyed his little affections while she was waking up fully. She could still feel how sore her body was after last night. She had known about the pain she was supposed to feel the first time she was lying with a man, but it, surprisingly, hadn't come. Instead, no one had bothered to tell her just how sore she'd feel afterward in her nether regions. She just hoped she wouldn't always be experiencing this whenever she and Hiccup had sex; that would definitely be a bummer on their honey month.

Astrid hummed as Hiccup's gentle touch found her waist and then went up to her shoulder blades. "What, no good morning kiss?" she teasingly asked and his idle strokes stopped for a moment. He huffed a laugh and shook his head at her.

"I didn't take you for the kind of woman to like sappy, domestic things like that," he said, but still he tilted his head and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. Nowhere near as fiery as those they'd shared the night before; it was a lazy kiss, but not half-hearted, just sleepy.

"Well," she replied after they parted, "I don't think you can call it domestic if we're both still completely naked."

"True," he said and leaned in again, this time a bit more awake. It didn't take long for their lazy morning kisses to turn more passionate and wanting. His light stubble was scratching her as he kissed his way along her jaw and down her neck, sending shivers down her spine and up her sides. His hands were tracing every curve of her body, making the heat in her core flame up in memory of what those same hands had done to her just last night. She guided his face back up to her and kissed him deeply, drinking up the bliss that came with his lips on hers and their tongues dancing around each other. How quickly she'd become addicted to his kisses, to his touch. He had her melting within moments and moaning the moment his touch found her center. She gasped against his lips. He worked her good until she was slick against his nimble fingers and had breathed his name into their kisses more than once. Every time she did so, Hiccup would respond with a low rumble from the back of his throat. Finally, he settled between her legs and brushed against her. Astrid locked her legs around his waist, drawing him impossibly close, their chests pressed together. And still she arched into him.

But when he tried to enter her, she was well aware again of just how sore she really was and drew back with a sharp intake of breath. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will the discomfort away. Hiccup had stilled completely over her.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She wanted to nod, to tell him to continue, but that would be a lie and result in just more pain. She took a deep breath and tried to move, but her body wasn't having it and only protested more. She guessed this wasn't something that would just go away within the next few minutes.

"Astrid," Hiccup said when she didn't answer him. He caressed her cheek and she looked at him. "You are in pain." He instantly rolled off her when she nodded. Her face was burning with embarrassment. She wanted him, and he obviously wanted her, and she felt as if she'd already failed in fulfilling her duty as a wife.

She started to apologize, but he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Don't." And he kissed her forehead, only slightly making her feel better. "If anything, I'm sorry. I should have remembered that you're probably sore and it would hurt for you." She hid her face in the crook of his neck and he just wrapped an arm around her to pull her close. I took a while until her cheeks stopped burning and she once again was thankful that Hiccup was so considerate of her feelings and well-being.

They just lay in bed for a time while the sun was rising higher into the sky and shining away the last remnants of the night. They talked about this and that and HIccup told her about a few of the people she'd met the previous day and what roll they were playing in his life.

"What about that girl with the black hair? What was her name again? Hilda?"

"You mean Heather?"

"Yeah, Heather. She didn't seem particularly happy to meet me, yesterday."

Hiccup sighed. "Heather is… complicated." So he told her about that girl. At points, Astrid felt an unease in the pit of her stomach, especially once he mentioned that she'd, in fact, been his first.

"We were drunk and at that time it had seemed like a great plan. But it was all… very awkward. So once we'd sobered up and were in our right minds again, we decided to never try that again. Ever. That was a few years back and ever since we just stayed friends."

"And… you've never thought of her like that again?"

"Nope. She's a friend and that's all. He shrugged. "And the reason she might have come off as a bit unfriendly to you is that she's generally suspicious of everyone she doesn't know. She'll come around eventually.

Astrid wasn't so convinced about that; Heather was his former lover and even though Hiccup said they were just friends and nothing more, Heather didn't necessarily have to feel the same way about him. She shoved the thought away for the time being; she didn't unnecessarily need to worry about things like that when she could just enjoy this moment of peace with her husband.

~o~o~

She must have dozed off again, for when she opened her eyes, the room was cast in the the first rays of the sun shining high enough now to reach the windows. She rubbed he eyes and yawned. One quick look up and she saw that Hiccup had also fallen into a slumber again.

Astrid admired his features for a moment. He looked younger in his sleep and she recognized more of the boy from Berk. He seemed less tense. Like the weight he carried had been lifted off his shoulders and he didn't have to worry about a slip-up that could cost him all that he held dear. The sight made her heart ache for him, knowing that once he woke again, this rare state of absolute relaxation would vanish. She made it her personal goal, then, to bring him more of this inner peace when awake, to find a way with him to get away from this place that held him shackled to the ground.

Astrid sat up, careful not to disturb him, and took in her surroundings. Last night, she hadn't paid much attention to the rooms she'd now occupy.

Just the bedroom alone was only slightly smaller than her whole house on Berk. The windows were laid in alcoves with windowsills decorated with pillows of various sized and shapes; they were inviting to climb up on and get lost in a book or admiring the view behind the glass. The two armoires and the chest of drawers next to the door were of the darkest wood she'd ever seen and carved with such finesse that Astrid didn't want to know what fortune they must have cost. In fact, the whole room smelled like wealth and left her gaping. She wondered who had picked out all the furniture and fabrics that decorated the room. She somehow doubted Hiccup had had any say in it and Drago didn't even come into question, so it must have been Valka. Hiccup had mentioned that his mother was the one responsible for most of the interior of the manor.

Astrid had known the Bludvist household possessed a fortune she couldn't even start to imagine, but the thought that she was now living in just a small part of the estate which was furnished with an even smaller fraction of the family fortune… She couldn't wrap her head around it.

"You'll get used to it."

Astrid whipped her head around and found Hiccup awake and smiling at her.

"Wh-what?"

"All this… pretentious luxury stuff." He waved his hands about to capture the whole room in his gesture. "It means little, has no emotional value whatsoever. You'll get used to the sight of it. Not necessarily the having-more-money-than-you-can-possibly-spend part, but the sight of expensive things will quickly become normal.

She frowned. "I don't think I want to get used to living like royalty. Isn't the goal to one day get out of here and live a normal life? I can imagine that being used to this and then having to get back to practically nothing is pretty rough."

"Well, for one, I think freedom is way better than living with all the fortune of the world, so I'll gladly exchange one for the other even if I have to sleep a whole month on the ground. And two, you kind of _are_ royalty now. There might not be an official title, but the citizens still like to call Drago the King of the city — and frankly, he also behaves like it — which subsequently makes _us_ part of this play-pretend royal family."

Astrid shook her head. "This is so messed up."

"Welcome to my world." Hiccup sat up and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Oh, and by the way, if you wanna change anything about these rooms, feel free to do so. There should be a chest of gold in the study somewhere for you to plunder. And if you ask my mother, I'm sure she'll be very eager to help you with redecorating. It's a wonder she hasn't turned this house into a pink-flower-plush nightmare yet."

Her eyes grew wide. "A whole…chest. Of gold."

"Yeah."

"And I can buy anything with it?"

"That's what I meant with 'for you to plunder'. Although, I would advise against buying up the whole bakery if that's what you're planning right now." His eyes sparkled with mischief and a grin was spreading on his face. Astrid grabbed one of the pillows and hit him across the chest with it. He started laughing, so she continued her assault on him.

"I didn't eat that many pastries!" she cried indignantly. He blocked the pillow with his hands, and grabs his own one for defending himself

"You should have seen your face!" Hiccup sputtered.

"Idiot!" but has to start laughing too, pushes him off the bed, but he catches her hands and drags her down with him.

"This is so your fault!

"My fault? You pushed me!"

"You were starting it!"

"You were the one starting the pillow fight!"

"Because you're an idiot!"

He grins slyly and gets up so fast she would have tumbled very ungracefully to the ground hadn't he managed to somehow throw her over his shoulder first.

"Hiccup!" she exclaims, "what do you think you're doing?!"

"I think we need to clear our heads or we won't be getting out of bed or these rooms any time soon." Even though she couldn't see his face, she still heard his smile in his voice as he spoke. Or maybe it was more like a smirk.

She snorted. "And what would we have been doing all day? You know that right now, sex isn't an option."

"Who said anything about sex?" He asked and squeezed her bottoms. She squealed and tried to wiggle out of his hold halfheartedly while unsuccessfully suppressing her giggles. He carried her through a door she hadn't even realized was there, it blending almost perfectly into the sandstone walls with its soft-coloured wood. Astrid craned her neck to see the room. A tub filled to the brim with steaming water stood in its middle and shelves with dozens of little bottles and jars lined the walls, underneath them were stacks of towels and baskets with about any little tool one would need when getting ready for the day. Overall, it was just a little over the top, but the bathtub looked so inviting to her, she quickly forgot about the rest.

Though, she did wonder who had gotten the bath ready and… A light scent filled her nose; citrus and something else she couldn't pinpoint. "Who-?"

Hiccup set her down again. "Part of being rich as hell, you have personnel to draw you a bath before you even know _know_ you want one." He gestured to yet another door right next to the one they'd just entered through. "They come and go without you even noticing they are there."

She cinched her eyebrows. While it was nice that someone was drawing her a bath and all, the thought of them just coming and going with neither her knowledge nor her consent bothered her. "No privacy whatsoever, huh?"

"Nope." Astrid nodded and suddenly, the privacy she'd enjoyed and taken for granted all her life seemed like a privilege. "But just so you know, they do know when they better stay away. It's like a sixth sense or something." While that didn't make her feel all that much better about it, it was good to know that a few moments would stay just between them and no one else.

She turned to the tub and without their teasing and banter on her mind, their current state of undress was brought back to her attention. She knew she shouldn't have to feel insecure about anything regarding her naked form in front of him; not after their wedding night, and not after the had just spend the entire morning wrapped around each other in bed, and just stood right there — in the middle of the room — talking about the perks and losses of richness with nothing but last night's sweat covering them.

But still she suddenly felt very self-conscious about the way she moved and how he could see _everything_ — if he weren't looking at her face instead.

So she cleared her head. She could worry about her unnecessary insecurities later; now, she really needed this bath and get her hair — which was even more tangled now than when she'd woken up for the first time that day — untangled again. Just a little more and it would be messy beyond repair.

She slid into the hot water, relishing at the immediate relive of her soreness. A delightful sigh escaped her lips and she closed her eyes, leaning back against the tub.

"This is amazing," she mumbled to no one in particular. Hiccup chuckled. She cracked open an eye to find him smiling at her his crooked smile.

"You wanna have some privacy with that tub so you two can get better acquainted? I'll also make sure to keep the maids away so you won't be disturbed," he teased.

Astrid flicked a bit of the water at him. "Instead of being insufferable, you can get in here and fix that mess you made with my hair."

The water sloshed against her skin as he got into the tub and sat across from her. The space was big enough for them to stretch out their legs a little without the limited space feeling too cramped. She crossed the short distance between them, turned around, and leaned back against his chest. His arms wound around her middle instantly and he dropped a kiss to her neck.

It was strange how fast she'd grown accustomed to the feel of his body. Her cheeks were heating up whenever she caught a glimpse of his nakedness, but she never looked away like a bashful young girl. After their doings last night and even just a few minutes ago, she'd feel ridiculous playing the prude now, especially with seeing each other naked was one of the more innocent things they could be doing in that state of dress. She smiled to herself. Her own insecurities about own nakedness be damned.

They just relaxed in the tub for a while, soaking in the water until their skin was wrinkled and basking in each other like a second afterglow. At some point, the water had cooled down enough to almost be uncomfortable after having enjoyed its warmth for so long. They eventually decided to get cleaned up like they had intended to do.

Astrid let the whole length of her hair soak in the water until every last strand had gotten wet. Hiccup lathered the soap and worked it into the blond mass. His fingers were gently massaging her scalp, drawing a satisfied hum from her.

"This is great, she said, "we should make this a routine. I so could get used to this." It had been quite a while that someone had washed her hair for her. The last time it had probably been her mother, sharing stories of beautiful Valkyries and strong women on the fields of battle with her, inspiring Astrid from a young age on to be a skilled warrior; just like all those heroines in the stories. She had been a child still back then, no older than eight probably. She'd forgotten how good it felt to have someone else doing this for her. To treat her hair with more carefulness and patience than she usually had to offer it.

"Admit it, you totally like being pampered."

"On occasions, yeah." She rinsed the soap out and handed Hiccup the brush sitting on a small table next to the tub. "Start at the tips and work your way up, otherwise it'll be even more tangled than it already is," she ordered. He followed her instructions and slowly worked his way through all the knots and tangles having formed in her hair at night as well as those created by his hands.

"What became of the independent woman who wouldn't even let someone carry things for her, let alone trust them with the treatment of her hair," he teased, running his hands through the first tangle-free strand.

Astrid snorted. "She was a stupid girl without a husband who's taken a liking to messing up perfectly good hair. And since you're said husband, you're the one who gets to make it nice again. I'm sure once I'd start cleaning up your messes for you, that's all I'd be doing from then on. So I'm not even gonna start with that."

"And there goes my plan for living a lazy life."

~o~o~

They eventually were wrapped in towels, having both cleaned up with the help of the other like it was tradition; not for this land, but for all newly wed couples on Berk. A little tradition to remind them of their home their roots when everything else was played by the rules of a for her foreign land. Except for the wedding night; Astrid was pretty sure _that_ was something that would be the same in all lands under their sky, as far away as they might be.

The armoire proved to be filled with their clothes already; each having one of their own. Astrid was surprised to also find pieces of clothing that she'd never seen before but fit right in with with the style of her own stuff. Still, she reached for her trusted outfit of a skirt, tunic, leggings and her fur boots; things she felt comfortable in and that reminded her of home.

Their clothes from the day before were gone, the bed made so immaculately, and the windows thrown wide open, she wondered just how they hadn't noticed the maids at work while they had been just in the next room. She shook her head as she plaited her hair.

"This is so damn creepy, honestly."

Hiccup pulled his own tunic over his head. "I bet they'll also have left something to eat for us in the hall." He shrugged. "You'll get used to it." That seemed to be his phrase of the day. Getting used to luxury, to people cleaning up after her, to apparently having to do no more chores. And while that didn't sound so bad in theory, it was still kind of unsettling to her.

The main room of their suit was lined on both sides with a row of little alcoves with windows that let enough sunlight in that they'd only need to light the candles once the sun had dipped below the horizon and the moon had risen. One side held a fireplace with cushioned chairs, a big rug and a low table; a place to relax and just be cozy when the cold of winter set in. A larger table faced the opposite side of the hall, a dining area. Although, Astrid didn't know when they would really need that one seeing as most meals would be served in the manor's main dining room. A couple more doors lined the walls not lined with windows that Astrid didn't know what lay behind them yet. It seemed their whole suit was bigger than three houses on Berk put together. So much space for just two people, it was insane.

The air was filled with the smell of scrambled eggs and bacon mixing together with fresh bread. Her mouth watered immediately. On the dining table stood a rich breakfast, still steaming. They sat down and began eating to the sound of birds chirping outside. She hadn't known just how hungry she actually was until the first bite was in her mouth. The maids who' brought their breakfast had also remembered to include a small cup of the moon tea. She'd noticed her box with the herbs standing on a little shelf next to the table and had planned on going to look for the kitchen to brew herself a cup of it. The maids really were pretty damn good at her job, that much Astrid had to acknowledge.

"What's that?" Hiccup nodded to the cup, probably having noticed that there was only one of it and that Astrid had claimed it immediately.

"Nothing you'd wanna drink," she said and took a sip. Without another tea mixed into it, it tasted awfully. But as long as she didn't want to risk conception she'd have to go through it; she really didn't want to have to deal with a baby just yet. Her answer, thought, didn't satisfy Hiccup.

"Why?"

"Because it tastes like garbage."

"Then why are you drinking it?" He seemed more and more befuddled by the second. And while it was quite funny seeing him so at a loss of understanding and could probably drag it out some more to get him completely confused, she didn't.

"It's moon tea, Hiccup." The way his eyebrows shot up and almost disappeared behind his tousled hair was comical and she didn't hide her laughter. "I mean, I'm sure we could go and get you on cup brewed, but I doubt it would have the same effect on you as it does on me."

He rubbed his neck, flustered. "Ah, um, no thanks. I, ah, I-I think I'm good…" He cleared his throat. "But, uh, if it tastes that bad, aren't there other options?"

"None that really work in the long run and are reliable. Anyone who's ever tried out the pulling-out method in the long run ended up knocked up. And just counting days is also pretty much a guarantee to get pregnant; because the moment a woman starts relying too much on the regularity of her cycle, some god will decide to mess with it and there we go. So," she took a whole gulp this time, wanting to just get this tea over with, "moon tea it is."

They finished their breakfast, Hiccup still a good amount flustered and Astrid a good amount amused at his expense. Afterward, they decided to go to the main wing of Bludvist manor, seeing how the aftermath of the celebrations looked like. Astrid tried her best to remember the way, but she swore Hiccup took another route than the night before, and she was sure she'd be utterly lost without him guiding the way. The main hall was quiet, only the distant clattering from the kitchen sounded through it. Hiccup peeked into the dining hall.

"Huh, everybody seems to have left already."

"No hungover drunkards lying around?"

"Nope. I bet Drago had them thrown out by sunrise."

They were about to continue to the usually more livelier parts of the manor when Valka rounded a corner and gave a surprised 'Oh' as she saw them.

"You're awake early," the older woman said with a smirk. Astrid tried her best to not blush, but Hiccup apparently couldn't stop the colour from rising to his face.

"Ah-"

"Um, we…"

Valka chuckled. "I am just teasing. It's midday already; a relatively reasonable hour for newlyweds to fall out of bed." She patted her son's arm as she walked by, but did a double take. "Oh, lest I forget. Astrid, your father left for port earlier this morning. He seemed… rather adamant to leave and ready his ship."

Astrid went rigid. "When exactly did he leave?"

"Just after sunrise, dear. I am sorry; he specifically asked not to disturb you for it."

An icy fist tried to clench around her heart, but she shoved it away and replaced it with anger should her father have left without any word of farewell.

She didn't notice the sympathetic smile her mother-in-law gave her or how she left or even how Hiccup took her hand and led her to the stables, demanded two horses be saddled immediately and helped her get on one.

By the time they reached the city, her knuckles were ghost white from gripping the reigns so tightly. And by the time they reached port, she was fuming and muttering curses at her father under her breath. The gods help her should she catch her father really leaving or having the intention to do so without saying good-bye to her. She'd be happy to test her new axe on his precious ship and cargo in that case.

The way to the dock his ship was at came to her without having to think about it, her legs moving on their own record. But when she reached the dock her father's ship was not there. She checked if maybe she'd landed on the wrong dock after all, but a quick look at the neighboring ships told her she hadn't. Her father had really left.

"You looking for Hofferson?" one of the workers from port asked. She couldn't answer; that icy fist had taken a burning hold on her and it was all she could do to keep breathing and not shout her anger to the gods above.

"Yes," Hiccup said. He was standing next to her, one hand reaching out for her but halting midway. "Do you, by chance, know when he left?" It seemed that he'd made up his mind because his hand found her shoulder only to then move over her back and to her waist. She hadn't even noticed she was swaying until he held her upright. Her vision was beginning to blur.

"Oh, not that long ago. He did seem in quite the distress, though. Kept mumbling something 'bout being sorry over and over. 'twas very strange."

Astrid balled her fists. Sorry, huh? If he'd truly been sorry he wouldn't have left like that in the first place. She grit her teeth and kicked a bucket that was nearby on the ground into a heap of rope. Its content spilled out and spread over the wood of the dock, but she couldn't care less.

First, her idiot father had to gamble and place her as the price. And now that she officially didn't belong to him anymore, he couldn't up and leave fast enough, and all without a word. In that moment, she truly hated her father. But then why did it hurt so damn much?

She turned to the open sea. A singular ship was moving with the winds away from the city of Greuelorm and her; it's sails dyed red and white and the figurehead of a dragon just barely visible. The same ship she'd spent months living on. The same ship that had been more worth than her. The same ship her father was leaving he with. A tear fell from her eyes. She didn't even bother brushing it away, but let it roll all the way down her cheek instead. The moment it dropped onto the collar of her shirt, she turned away from the sight and towards Hiccup.

"Take me to the crater."

~o~o~

He'd gambled her away. Thunk; her axe hit the tree's bark. He'd traded her like she was nothing more than livestock. Thunk. He'd just left her! Thunk. Without a word. He'd just left. Thunk. He hadn't even had the courage to look her in the eye while walking out of her life. Thunk. No, he'd just left without telling her. Thunk. Now that she thought about it, he hadn't been a real father to her in such a long time. THUNK. When mom had fallen sick, he'd left for that fishing trip. THUNK. He'd left her to deal with it all on her own for weeks despite knowing mom hadn't had much time left. THUNK. Her mother had died while he'd been on sea and left her to grieve and bury her all on her own. THUNK. Sometimes, Astrid wished he'd had fallen ill instead of her mother; now was one of them.

A stray tear ran over her cheek, followed by a whole river of more. Angrily, she rubbed them away and blinked to keep new ones from falling.

A growl formed at the back of her throat, threatening to escape her gritted teeth and did so when she tried to unsuccessfully pull her axe out of the tree trunk. The blade – sharp enough to slice through flesh like it was butter – had run deep into the wood, getting stuck on her frustration and anger.

Astrid threw a punch at the tree. The bark, rough as it was, bit into her skin and immediately drew blood. Her knuckles had split open and she was almost certain she'd felt a bone crack.

"Fuck!" she shouted and cradled her hand to her chest. She was tempted to hit the tree again with her other fist, but refrained from it. She'd only end up hurting herself even more.

The bushes rustled behind her and twigs broke under the weight of Hiccup and Toothless coming back from the storage-cave to retrieve Toothless' prosthetic tail-fin. Astrid suspected that'd just been an excuse to not end up as collateral damage while she took out her anger on a few trees.

Astrid didn't turn to meet them. Instead, she kept glaring daggers at the tree as if its mere existence was an insult to her in itself.

She felt Hiccup's presence next to her a few moments later. He wordlessly took her injured hand and wrapped it with a piece of cloth she hadn't seen him draw out.

She couldn't look at him; not while she was still fuming and heart broken. Their honey month was supposed to be their time to figure out how to make this marriage work, to maybe find happiness and solace together. And instead of starting off with a lazy day in bed, here they were in the crater – which wouldn't have been such a bad alternative since she'd grown fond it as their little save-heaven – and she was a complete wrack.

'Through hard times and easy ones' their vows had said, 'through good and bad'. She huffed. Those hard and bad times could have taken a little longer to arrive at their doorstep, in her opinion.

Astrid knew her father would have had to leave shortly after the wedding so as to make it back to Berk in time before the first ice; and he was already running late. But him leaving the way he had was just cruel to her. She was already paying for his foolishness, so the least he could have done was a proper good-bye. But maybe he'd never really been the loving father he'd pretended to be.

"I hate him," she blurted out then, her voice still tinted red in anger. "I hope he'll lose all of his damn cargo and the stupid ship along with it."

There was a short moment of silence where the only sounds were the rustling of the wind in the fallen leaves and the faint nagging of a startled crow.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better right now?"

Astrid started and finally looked at Hiccup after all. His concern was written honestly on his face; in the way he slightly furrowed his dark brows and his sympathetic look from underneath his lashes. If she weren't in such emotional turmoil, she'd kiss him.

But instead, she turned away from him and huffed a laugh. "Better?"

"Or, you know, less shitty at least. I can't imagine exactly how you feel right now, but I can see that you are deeply hurt and disappointed in your father… He betrayed you and that hurts and I can't take it away from you. But the least I can do is try to make you feel less shitty. Distraction usually does the trick for me." He shrugged in his nonchalant way.

She thought for a moment. From the corner of her eye she could see Toothless pawing at a few falling leaves and catching some in his maw only to spit them out with disgust. Astrid made up her mind.

"Take me on a flight." She faced Hiccup in time to see his eyes widen almost comically and his jaw dropping.

"R-Really? You sure?"

Astrid nodded. "You said flying clears your head. And you always try to coax me onto Toothless with promises of an amazing view and all. Let's see if it's true."

Hiccup shook his head. "A-Alright then. But only if you are really absolutely su-"

"I am," she interrupted him. She reached out to tug her axe out of the tree's bark again, momentarily forgetting it was stuck, and let out a frustrated groan when it still wouldn't budge.

"We'll get it out later with a few supplies from the cave," Hiccup said but also experimentally tugged and shoved at the handle of the beautiful weapon. "Maybe I shouldn't have sharpened it all that much after all."

Hiccup whistled for Toothless, giving the big reptile a scratch behind his ear flaps. "Okay, before we can go flying, I need you to do something first."

Astrid cocked an eyebrow at her husband. She'd thought this would be more of a hop-on-hop-off kind of thing that didn't require for her to do anything other than holding on for dear life.

"And what would that be?" she asked warily as he approached her with a wide grin.

"You need to earn Toothless' trust first."

Astrid was slightly taken aback. "His…trust. Shouldn't it be the other way around? You know, with the whole him taking us hundreds of feet into the air?"

"Okay, let me rephrase that. You need to earn each other's trust first and then we can go flying."

At the mention of flying by his rider, Toothless started to wag his tail like an overexcited dog and bared his gums in a way Astrid recognized was him mimicking a smile. How a dragon could learn such a thing was still a mystery to her that she'd given up on solving.

Hiccup took her hand when she didn't protest his plan. He led her a few steps closer to the dragon and guided her hand to stretch out to almost touch Toothless. She didn't draw back when she caught onto his plan; mainly because she'd seen him casually touch Toothless countless times already during the few times she'd been to the crater with him. Somehow, she knew that the dragon wouldn't hurt her; despite the Viking in her telling her differently. And should something still go wrong, Hiccup was standing right behind her. Astrid was dimly aware of his chest against her back and his free arm wrapped loosely around her waist.

"Turn your head away." His breath tingled her earlobe. She complied and shut the little voice in her head out that was internally screaming at her how stupid this was and that she'd be down a hand in just a second. It was the Viking within her again that spoke like that. The dragon-slaying Viking. She wasn't that girl anymore and if a fresh start meant trusting her husband's pet dragon, then so be it. She was done with the Viking way.

And just as she made that decision, Hiccup let go of her hand and it only took a moment until she felt cool scales press against her palm. She whipped her head back around.

Toothless was pressing his snout into her palm, his eyes shut.

The sensation of touching a dragon was unlike anything she could have imagined. Sure, she'd made contact with some during raids, but the only times she'd really touched their hides had been during the clear up, the aftermath of any raid. Then, they'd been dead, their bodies usually already gone cold, and the heat of the battle still rushing through her, making her insensitive.

But Toothless felt different. His scales, while still cold, held life within them. They were rough and incredibly smooth at the same time.

Tentatively, she spread her fingers wider, feeling the texture move underneath her hand. She moved forward, slightly scratching over the little bumps and dents covering the dragon's head. Until Toothless made a sound and opened his eyes to look at her. It took her a moment to recognize the sound as a coo. When she didn't continue petting him immediately, Toothless shoved his head further into her touch, making her stumble backwards and into Hiccup. After a moment, Astrid used both her hands to scratch and pat the dragon. Who was clearly enjoying the attention.

 _Vicious beast, huh?_ Astrid thought and giggled. She was touching a dragon and wasn't being eaten by it.

"Do you get it now?" Hiccup asked with a grin in his voice. Astrid turned to look at him and nodded.

"Yeah, I think I do." The way his face lit up made her even more sure about her decision. This was a new start. A completely, unplanned new start.

Toothless nudged at her again; only this time, a little too eagerly and send her and Hiccup staggering and down until they ended as a pile on the ground.

"Toothless," Hiccup exclaimed. A few leaves were sticking out of his hair. He looked ridiculous sprawled out like this. Astrid couldn't help but laugh. She had fallen right on top of him.

"Good that at least one of us finds this funny," he said dryly. He sat up with a groan and brought her right up with him. Astrid looked at his hair again and snickered.

"Nice hairstyle." She reached up and pulled one of many leaves that had made their home on his head out of the auburn mop.

Once Hiccup had freed himself from his unwanted accessories, they got up again and Hiccup called Toothless, who had wandered off somewhere the moment they'd toppled to the ground, back.

"Alright, you spoiled, lazy reptile; time to get in the air." Hiccup mounted the dragon like he'd done every time before when Astrid had watched them go for a flight. Only this time, instead of taking off them moment he pushed his feet into the pedals, he held his hand out to her.

She hesitated. Touching a dragon was one thing, but climbing on its back? Sure, she had practically demanded for Hiccup to take her for a flight, but…

"You can still change your mind, Astrid. You don't have to come flying just to prove something."

Astrid frowned. "I am not trying to prove something to you."

"I never said that. I think you're trying to prove something to yourself." Still he didn't retract his offered hand.

Astrid breathed in and out slowly and then took it and let herself be helped onto Toothless' back. It was a completely different feeling compared to having a horse's back underneath her. More sturdy, powerful, like made of solid muscle mass.

"Just for the record," she said as she settled her hands on Hiccup's waist, "I am not trying to prove something to anyone; including myself.

"Alright, but, uh, you might want to hold on a little tighter."

She barely had time to wrap her arms around him in a tight embrace before Toothless' wings spread wide and they shot into the air with one powerful beat. Astrid yelped and pressed her face into the crook of Hiccup's neck. Her stomach was protesting the steep, fast climb that Toothless performed. And as abruptly as he'd shot up, he leveled out and her stomach dropped once more.

The wind was tugging at her clothes, her hair dancing with it behind her. A pair of hands squeezed her own.

"You alright?"

Astrid nodded, but kept her face hidden against his neck and waited until the funny feeling in her stomach subsided; she didn't completely trust it just yet even with Toothless flying almost evenly. She felt the muscles of his back and sides contracting every time he pumped his wings; so she focused on that rather than her upset stomach. But the slight up and down motion made the experience almost feel like being on sea with rough current, just without the sideway rocking.

"Come on, Astrid," Hiccup said after giving her a few more moments to acclimate to flying on dragonback. "Take a look." He nudged his head against hers and finally she looked up.

The first thing she was the mountain rage at which foot the crater lay. Now, the usually giant, impressive mountains weren't so giant anymore. Astrid could even see where the flatland behind them started again. As far as she could see there was forest and fields in front of her. In the quickly nearing distance were a few dark spots against the otherwise green scenery that she supposed were villages. And maybe even a town down the river that ran from the mountains into the land.

Astrid turned her head to get a better view.

Everything seemed so small; they must be pretty high up if even the mountains tops looked like they were wooden miniature carvings and the landscape was mostly a variety of green tones blinding into each other.

Behind them, though, the view was different. Most of it was blue, blue, and more blue from the sky and ocean starting behind Greulorm's port. Astrid thought for a moment that she could see Bludvist manor, but she wasn't sure. From this far above, everything seemed so differently than from the ground. As if they were two different worlds. She took a deep breath. Even the air smelled and tasted differently; fresher, purer.

"This is," she said with wonder but couldn't find the right words to describe what she wanted to express. None of them fit.

"Yeah, I know," Hiccup said and looked at her over his shoulder. Somehow, he seemed more at ease than she'd ever seen him before, even in the crater. They swerved toward the ocean the water glistening and sparkling in the sunlight and Toothless dived down to let the water his speed threw up hit their faces. In the far distance, she saw that ship again with its red sails that looked like a drop of blood on the ocean.

"If you want we can go after him," Hiccup offered and squeezed her hands. She shuffled closer to him and squeezed back.

"No. I don't ever want to see him again." He nodded and left the topic be, silently commanding Toothless to change course again until the wind had blown all negativity away from her again. There was only her, her husband and his dragon, now. Nothing else mattered but the freedom that came with racing the wind.

"What do you say about going a little faster?" Hiccup grinned when she nodded and a few minutes later they were high above the clouds and racing the winds.

She had quickly gotten used to the sensation of flying, of her stomach tingling whenever Toothless would drop every now and then just to get into a steep climb again. They plunged holes through the white clouds. The first time she'd gotten close to one, Astrid had tried to touch it, thinking it would maybe feel like really soft sheep wool and had laughed when it turned out to be just really dense mist. The longer they stayed in up in the air, the lighter she felt.

Astrid grew up believing that Vikings had conquered the lands and owned the seas, and that the sky was the only thing they could never have, the one thing belonging to the gods, the birds and the dragons. Not Vikings. And yet, Hiccup had thrown all those beliefs away and crossed the bridge between earth and sky. And now she was part of it too.

The world was beautiful from the ground, but from the sky it was breath-takingly stunning. Up here, she could imagine how the view from Valhalla must be. For the first time in months she thought of her mother and how she was sitting somewhere even farther up and she didn't feel grief tugging at her heart. She allowed herself to smile up, imagining how her mother was smiling down right back. And she knew she had made the right decision.

 **A/N:**

Two updates within one month! Woohoo!...Just don't get used to this, because I can already tell that this isn't going to last... But for however long it shall take me to get the next one out, just know that I will never abandon this story! I hate leaving things unfinished that have a public audience. With that said, who else hates Astrid's father's guts right now? Because I sure do and you don't even know the half of what's going on *evil laughter* Now that we got the Hiccstrid established and under wraps, it's time to have a little more conflict and who else would be better for creating that than all those lovely fathers we got jumping around here :D So, be prepared for Act 2 of this Drama and the part I've been waiting to write for so. Damn. LONG! (even though I don't know half of what's going on yet, but what I do know will be quite surprising. It was for me at least when I figured those things out myself)

Aaaanywaaay, thank you all so much for all the amazing reviews! You guys are really the best and I love each and every one of you! I seriously always have tears in my eyes when I read your review so all I'm asking is for you guys to keep them up and keep them nice (we haven't had even one negative review yet, so go on an pat yourselves on the shoulder and get a cookie!) Until the next one!


	14. Act II: Coming back from Paradise

Stoick the Vast walked through the still mostly empty streets of his small village. Morning had just broken and the Nightwatch would be heading into their beds now after a long night. Only a few early-rising souls were outside already to greet the day even though the sun had just started to peek over the horizon. The nights were longer now with winter knocking on their doors and the first snow having fallen just a few days ago; even though it had melted by midday again, the few children of their village had been elated and quickly set the mood for the holiday season.

Snoggletog was only a few weeks away now and the village had started the preparations for the only time of the year where they knew they would be safe from the vicious beasts frequently raiding their little island. For whatever reason, the dragons stayed away for a couple peaceful weeks before hitting again with full force and slightly larger numbers. The elders had the theory that this was their hatching season and it could very well be, but Stoick didn't particularly care for what the beasts would be doing as long as they stayed away from his people if not forever then at least for a short, joyous while.

A harsh breeze rolled from the ocean over the island, bringing the promise of snow and ice. He tugged his heavy fur-cloak closer around his body. Lately, the cold had started to get to his bones, making his joints stiff and ache in the particularly chilly mornings. In those moments, he was reminded again that he was getting old and was looking forward to the day he could pass on the mantle of chiefdom to his successor and enjoy his retirement. But that day would have to wait another few years until his good-for-nothing nephew was finally mature enough to take over without bringing the village down crashing in the first three days.

Stoick sighed. Oh, how he missed his son. He didn't know for sure whether Hiccup would have grown up to be a more suitable option for succession the the throne of Berk, but something in his gut told him he would have. His son might have been scatter-brained, but he hadn't been stupid. His wit and quick thinking, even if it had been unconventional to say the least, had always been promising. He'd just not put it to use in the right moments, it had seemed. Except in the Kill Ring.

He still remembered the moment his little boy had single-handedly defeated that Gronkle in front of the whole village as if it had been just last week. Hiccup hadn't needed any weapons or his shield to bring the beast down; something Stoick hadn't seen anyone his age ever being capable of before. It still was a mystery to him how exactly his son had done that and he'd never know, but the pride he'd felt for his son in that moment had let him forget all the times the village had gone up in flames by those same hands; even if Stoick knew that Hiccup had never intended on messing up whenever he'd left the house. He'd just been a naive child, had always been, and had never meant anyone any harm by his thoughtless actions. But that moment in the Kill Ring? Stoick couldn't have been prouder of his son.  
Stoick reached the forge, the heat of the blazing fire greeting him like a warm hug the moment he stepped over the threshold.

"Mornin', Gobber." His old friend was fiddling with his prosthetic hand. The usual hook lying on the workbench and a hammer instead now attached where one a hand had been.

The blacksmith looked up and popped a crooked grin, flashing his even more crooked teeth and his one golden false-tooth. Despite the early hour of the day, Gobber was chipper as usual. But Stoick still saw the emptiness in his friend's eyes. The forge was too quiet, had been so for more than five years now. Stoick wasn't the only one affected by the sudden disappearance of his son. Death of his son. Even though they had never found the body or any remains of his little boy, the chances that he was still alive somewhere, anywhere, were so dwindling, holding up hope was more hurtful than accepting the harsh truth. Still that didn't fill the void in his life.

"Aye, mornin' ta ye as well." Gobber smacked his hammer-hand against the workbench a few times. "Eh, should've gotten tha' damn thing fitted properly last time the Ingerman lad helped out." A few more bangs and he grunted satisfied. "Will do."

"Will have ta." Stoick clapped his friend on the back. He dropped a roll of parchment on the workbench. "Trader Johan gave this ta me yesterday before he left. It's from Hofferson. He won't be back until spring, something disrupted his schedule an' now won't make it before the ice."

Gobber prodded the roll with his deft fingers. "Ye know tha' I cannae read Leif's horrible writin'. Looks like a chicken jumped into a puddle of ink an' then waltzed over the parchment ta me."  
Stoick snorted. "As if yer writin' is any better."

"It is! Because my chicken at least knew the steps ta this waltz. His is always a wee bit strong with the ale."  
"Ye tell yerself tha' if it makes ye sleep a' night."

The blacksmith picked up the parchment roll and waved it under Stoick's nose. "Now, tell me what troubles tha' fool has run into. I haven't had good gossip in ages."

Stoick sighed. "This is nothin' ta gossip about. It's about the lass."

"Astrid? What is it with her? She," Gobber grew solemn, "she hasn't gotten ill, has she? Not like poor Haldis?" Stoick shook his head and Gobber nodded in relief. He could understand his friend's worries over the lass. After the horrible illness that had befallen her mother Haldis earlier this year and taken one strong warrior away from them, everyone had feared the same fate would strike Astrid as well. But the lass was strong and had only gotten a slight fever after sitting at her mother's deathbed until the end.

"No, she's fine. Probably pissed off at her dear old man, but fine."

"Aww, spit it out already. What stupidity's befallen Leif now?"

"He's developed a gamblin' problem. Almost lost everythin', but managed ta keep it all. But fer tha', he had ta give away the lass. Married her off ta the man's son."

Gobber stroked his moustache. "An' she didn't take his head fer it? Interestin'. Must be a mighty fine lookin' lad then. Would like ta meet the lad finally gettin' the lass ta settle down. Who would've thought."

"Gobber, this isn't… ugh." Stoick pinched the bridge of his nose when the blacksmith continued to mutter about his theories on the lass's new husband. He brought his hand down hard on the workbench. "Gobber!"

The blacksmith fell silent for a moment. "Let's just hope that the lass will find happiness. Odin knows Haldis will be coming right back from death if her little lass isn't happy."

Stoick nodded. "Aye, that's true." He sat down on a stool and stared into the flames of the forge. "Ya remember how my Hiccup would look at her? Like she was the reason he would get up each day." He laughed. "That actually did happen once. The lad didnae wanna get out of his bed fer some reason and I only had ta mention that Astrid might come by the forge an' he was jumpin' outta bed and was out the door before I could blink."

"Aye, I remember how he'd always gawk after her instead of doin' his work. Cost me a few good blades, his gawkin'. Even when they were still inseparable, he'd only had eyes fer the lass. Made her her first axe, but didnae want her ta know fer whatever reason. He may not have been the strongest of the litter, but his craftsmanship was beyond compare. Ah, what would I give ta know how far he would have come by now."

It wasn't unusual for the both of them to exchange their fondest memories of Hiccup to fill the void in their hearts for just a moment. Hiccup had been his son, and Stoick missed him more than he could articulate, but Gobber understood. The blacksmith had not only been a mentor to the lad, but also been like a second father to him when Stoick couldn't be there or just simply didn't know how to deal with his son. They had both raised the boy and he'd been taken from them far too soon. Stoick hadn't told him nearly enough times that he loved him, that he was proud of him despite him always messing up whatever he touched. Hiccup had been his son and he hadn't been the father he'd deserved.

If his Valka knew how wrong he'd done their son, she'd wallop him until he'd knew nothing anymore but that he was to tell his son he loved him enough times to not let the boy forget that. A father's love was unconditional, but Stoick had made it seem that it was. And he regretted that each and every day since Hiccup had gone into the woods and never came back.

Gobber sat, or more likely dropped, down on another stool. "It's strange seein' the bairns suddenly all grown up and bein' a pain in the ass to handle, or gone. There used ta be so many of them runnin' around all the damn time."

"And now there's barely enough ta call them a litter. I think I've seen more Terrors sittin' on my roof last summer than children playin' in the village."

"And there goes Hofferson and just gives away his daughter ta some fella. Had she stayed here, there might have been a chance that she wold have helped bringing more little vikings ta the village."

Stoick snorted. "With whom? Snotlout? She encouraged Ruffnut ta bury him alive last year."

"Eh, maybe she'd have found herself a handsome sailor."

"Now ye're just confusing Astrid with Ruffnut, Gobber."

The sun was climbing higher over the horizon. Soon, Stoick would have to start his chiefing duties for the day and his chat with Gobber would have to wait until the next morning or, if he was lucky, until dinner in the Meade Hall over a tankard of ale. But he could delay it for just a couple more minutes.

"Remember how Val and Haldis always spoke of uniting our families when the bairns were barely out of the womb?" Stoick still had the vivid picture hidden in the back of his mind of the two women, just having become mothers, sitting together and scheming a future for Astrid and Hiccup. They had been great friends, almost inseparable, but completely different in their character. Haldis had helped him with his son after his wife had been taken from him, raising him alongside the little Hofferson girl.

"Hah, the two of them weren't only scheming wedding plans fer their own wee ones, but every damn soul on this island that hadnae already been married off," Gobber exclaimed. "They tried ta get me together with Ingrid Svenson, remember? Yer wife was a devil in disguise, I'm tellin' ya. An' Haldis was gleefully followin' her ungodly ways. Devils in disguise."

Stoick wanted to disagree, but… "Aye, that they were. But mighty pretty devils."

Gobber laughed and clapped his shoulder. "Now, chief. I believe I hear the villagers cryin' fer ye, already. Go shush them before they start flocking my forge. We can reminisce ye old times later."

"I'm holdin' ye ta that." Stoick got up and made his way out of the forge. The memory of his wife and his son still on his mind. Aye, he missed them both terribly, but he'd long since learnt to continue on with his life without them. After all, someone had to keep the village in peace and order. So, just as every day, he put on a stoic face and greeted his people to help with their needs. His own would have to wait.

~o~o~

Astrid rolled over with a groan and squinted against the offending sunlight streaming through the windows. She'd lain awake for most of the night. Grasping for the body usually next to her in her half-sleep before realising again and again that he wasn't there.

She'd gotten so used to Hiccup's presence in their bed over the last month that now that he was gone, she was feeling more restless at night. Like something was amiss, which it of course was. Despite extended training with her new axe, she had been rolling around, trying to find a comfortable position for hours at a time. It was aggravating. If this was how it would be for the entirety of Hiccup's absence, she would go crazy.

She had been cold and even wrapping the blanket tighter around her body didn't bring the same comfort and warmth as being wrapped in her husband's embrace. Not to mention that autumn was progressing faster and faster each day and she could already see winter crawling over the horizon. The manor was cold all the time and she didn't want to have to get up every few minutes at night to stoke the fire in the main room of the suite. Astrid needed to talk to Valka about getting a few more tapestries for the walls just to keep the precious warmth inside. And better shutters for the windows.

Astrid crawled out of bed — probably with the gracefulness of a Gronkel — routinely grabbed a set of clothes and disappeared into the bath for a good while, soaking in water and self-annoyance. She scrubbed the tiredness off her skin and the grumpiness out of her hair. Slowly, the cold of deep autumn crept out of her bones thanks to the warm water, taking with it the incredibly uncomfortable tension in her muscles that she hadn't even noticed had been there until it was gone.

Rubbing herself down with a towel and twisting her still wet hair into a braid over her shoulder happened without giving much thought to it. When she was completely dressed again, she made her way out of the chambers she was now living in. Breakfast alone wasn't something she particularly enjoyed, so she decided to join Valka in the dining room.

It had taken a while for Astrid to get a grasp of the manor's layout and not get lost whenever she wandered the hallways on her own. Hiccup had drawn out the layout of the manor for her immediately after she had ended up in the wrong wing of it and wandered the hallways into the deep of night in an attempt to find her way back on her own. She had found lots of empty rooms and even more with awful collections of the trophies Drago displayed at every turn of the manor, but she eventually had to ask one of the maids — who had been eyeing her with curiosity — for help.

Though, whenever Hiccup and her had walked from one wing of the manor to the other, he would take a slightly different route — each time just a little more complicated than the next one— until Astrid had called him out on it. Of course, he had denied his shenanigans and claimed that the maids just liked to redecorate the hallways which would be why they looked different all the time. But when they took the same — way easier and way faster — route twice in a row, she had just looked at him, one eyebrow raised and said, "Redecorating, huh? Do they also like to add hallways here and there at night without anyone noticing? Maybe build a few more stairways along the way?" He had grinned at her and nodded and she hadn't pushed the matter further. Her husband was the greatest dork to ever exist.

Valka already sat at the long table of the dining room when Astrid entered, nursing a mug of steaming tea and smiling warmly at her.

"Good morning, dear," the older woman said.

"Good morning." Astrid tried to copy her cheerfulness, but probably failed horribly at it. She sat down on her chair opposite Valka and, without missing a beat, a maid came and brought a freshly-brewed cup of tea for her.

It would never cease to make Astrid just slightly uncomfortable how her every wish was answered by them before she even opened her mouth to voice it. Astrid just hoped that the personnel of the Bludvist household earned a decent salary for their efforts.

The two women had their breakfast and occasionally chatted about their plans for the day and other such chit-chat. The absence of both men of the household for the week — or rather Drago's absence — allowed them to talk freely not only about the gossips from the town, but another one of their more favoured topics: Berk. With Drago around, Valka had been hesitant to ask any questions regarding the island and more recent news from it, but now, the older woman didn't seem like she could get enough of the stories Astrid had to share.

"Did Hiccup ever tell you that he used to blow up the village almost regularly?", Astrid asked with mirth after Valka had asked about an honest report of her son's doings when he had still been on the island. Apparently, Hiccup had been reluctant to delve too far into his own history.

Valka almost spit out her tea. "He what?"

"Yes, whenever there was a dragon raid, Hiccup would try to prove himself and it would go horribly wrong. The amount of times the other kids and I had to put out his fires instead of the dragons'! The night he caught Toothless, he also set fire to the docks because he let himself be chased by an angry Monstrous Nightmare and the dragon burned down one of the big torches and it rolled down to the docks."

Valka held a hand over her mouth and stifled the laugh escaping her lips. "Oh dear, I bet Stoick wasn't all too pleased with that."

Astrid sighed. "Not at all." She remembered the talking-down Hiccup had received in front of the entire village from his father. And while she had agreed with her chief that Hiccup's behaviour was completely irresponsible and dangerous for their village, the lecture should have been saved for the walls of their hall instead of the village square. Hiccup had needed to be reminded again and again that he had to think before acting, but doing so in front of the people he had been supposed to lead one day by tradition still seemed cruel to Astrid. He hadn't needed to be humiliated like that to learn a lesson. Not that it had at all gotten into his head.

"They," Valka hesitated, "really didn't have the best relationship, did they? Hiccup and Stoick?"

Astrid shook her head no. "From what I witnessed, no. I think there was a lot of misunderstanding between them and both their stubbornness didn't exactly help. In the more recent years, the only time I've seen Stoick… on good terms with Hiccup was after he got really good in the Ring, but…"

"Yes, I know how that ended."

They sat in silence for a while, each following their thoughts.

Astrid couldn't help but again wish that she had followed Hiccup that day he had disappeared. That she had known about the reason he'd suddenly gotten good with the dragons. But most of all, she couldn't help but kick her own butt mentally for abandoning him like the others had done when it had become clear that he was nothing like them. She had thrown their childhood-friendship away in favour of popularity. And she hated herself for it.

Valka cleared her voice and put on her cheerfulness again. "I've been meaning to ask, how do you like married life so far? Do you miss him already?"

Astrid snorted but smiled. "It's been one day, Valka. The only thing I miss so far is a warm bed and a decent night's sleep." She hid her smirk behind her cup of tea. "It's easier getting used to sleeping next to someone all the time than I had anticipated. But I've come to like it. A lot."

Valka chuckled. "Ah, but shouldn't you have sleept more, now that he's gone for the week? I would have thought you'd complain about a lack of sleep last month what with all the late night…activities you must have been up with."

A blush spread over Astrid's cheeks, but she refused to be embarrassed. She was a married woman and what she did with her husband at night was nothing she need be ashamed of. "Well, maybe my lacking sleep now comes from the lack of those…activities."

The two women laughed together and once again Astrid was glad that the men were not present to witness their conversations. For Hiccup would certainly be mortified hearing her talk with his mother about their sex-life and probably wouldn't touch her for some time as the result. And Drago just plain-out didn't need to hear such conversations at all. Talking with her mother-in-law was one thing — and not to say normal; on Berk such stories maybe weren't told over the breakfast table, but at the creek while doing laundry with much more women to overhear — but Astrid one, didn't really regard Drago as her father-in-law even though she now, through her marriage to Hiccup, carried his name, and two, couldn't stand the man to begin with. Drago Bludvist's schemings and manipulations made her despise him even more. Astrid couldn't wait for the day the man either fell dead from a night of drinking too much or that they would just leave this gods-forsaken town. But both of those were lost hopes as of now.

Astrid thought back to the other things they had done over the course of the last month.

Under the disguise of wanting to spend their honey-month mostly away from the manor and the town, they had travelled often to the crater, paying Toothless almost daily visits and just getting to know each other better without the watchful eyes and fine-tuned ears that lurked behind every corner of the manor. Five years were a long time to catch up on and they had made the most of the month that belonged solely to them.

She had managed to learn quite a lot not only about Hiccup, but also about Toothless and dragons in general. The more time she spend in the crater, the more she grew fond of the flying reptile that on more than one occasion disobeyed his rider, making her laugh as she watched their bickering. It had become clear to her that Toothless wasn't just a pet like a dog or horse, but a very intelligent being with the same sarcastic humour as Hiccup. She'd never seen an animal express a deadpan before, but Toothless managed to do so with just his eyes. He must be the sassiest dragon in all of existence.

Hiccup had wanted to teach her how to fly Toothless on her own, but she had refused every time. Flying on a dragon as a passenger was one thing, but being responsible for integral parts of the flight was another. If she did something wrong they could crash and Astrid didn't want to be responsible for accidentally hurting Toothless. And she also didn't wish to die just yet. Holding onto Hiccup while he operated the artificial tail was enough for her. She was changing her views on the world, but Astrid didn't need to dive head-first into this new world.

And knowing Hiccup, he'd probably use her ability to fly Toothless on her own to do something reckless and stupid like jumping off the dragon. She didn't need to encourage his urge for unintentional self-destruction.

"Astrid?" Valka ripped her out of her thoughts, startling her.

"Hm?"

"I asked if you would like to accompany me into town. I need to pick up a few things and order a few things from the woodworkers." Valka's eyes crinkled with laughter.

Astrid gulped the last bit of her now cold tea down. "Yes, I'd like to." The tapestries she wanted to hang on the walls came back to her mind. "In fact, there are a few thing I wanted to get for our chambers."

"Are you thinking about redecorating?" Valka practically beamed at her like a child on Snoggletog.

"If you can help me with it?"

The woman nodded eagerly. "I've been waiting for an opportunity to turn this house over way too long. My husband will be sorry he ever left us alone for the week."

"I heard Drago has a particular dislike for anything pink, flowery and plush."

They grinned, mischief hanging in the air between them, and soon they left the breakfast table. Astrid raced back up to the suite and into the study. She grabbed one o the pouches from the chest of gold Hiccup kept on his desk. She had a feeling the week he and Drago were gone for some kind of business meeting of sorts would be over faster than she'd imagined just this morning.

~o~o~

The manor lay quiet in the night as Hiccup made his way back. The last trek up the hill to the gates stretched on forever and his horse all but stumbled into the stables. Hiccup felt bad for putting such strain on the steed, but he couldn't have gotten away from his stepfather fast enough.

The stableboys were already asleep, so he took care of the horse himself, quietly grateful that he needn't interact with anyone just yet. The peace and quiet of the stables with just the noise of animals sleeping in the background comforted him, drowned out the other noises stuck in his head. He wouldn't get a wink of sleep, that much was certain, despite his drooping eyes and the exhaustion sitting deep in his bones.

Hiccup bit on his lips, the trembling of his hands making unsaddling a frustrating task. He patted the trusty steed on its thick neck and closed the stables off for the night. Drago would return some time after dawn — the man had gone off to the docks to check up on whatever unholy project he'd left behind and had taken with him the catch of his impromptu hunt — so he didn't see the need to keep the stables open.

Hiccup hadn't dared to ask further about this project, hadn't wanted to. If it meant that he wouldn't have to spend another minute with the madman longer, he would take it without knowing more about it, however suspicious Drago's behaviour throughout their trip had been.

As if in trance, he walked through the manor, climbing the stairs, and found himself in front of the door to the rooms he'd longed for all week. But now that he was so close to being home, so close to Astrid, he stopped his hand from touching the door handle.

His hands were dirty not only with the soil of a long journey and Hiccup didn't want anyone to have to clean up after him. He didn't want to have to explain. Least of all to Astrid.

The moon had hung high over his head when he'd stepped into the manor, so he doubted she would still be awake. He hoped she wasn't. He needed to pull himself back together before facing her.

Hiccup pushed down the handle with his elbow. The moon and a low-burning fire were the only things illuminating the main room. The door to the bedroom was open and he could see Astrid sleeping peacefully stretched out across the entirety of the mattress. Hiccup found a fond smile ghosting his lips.

He took off his boots and quietly padded across the room, closing bedroom door so as to not disturb his wife in her sleep, and locked himself into the bathroom.

A full washbasin stood at the brim of the tub and he silently thanked the maids for always thinking about such small things as providing a possibility to wash at any times of the day. Of course, Hiccup would have preferred a bath, but pumping up the water through the watering system of the manor would take too long and be too loud. So he took the basin in front of a window letting in streaks of moonlight and scrubbed at his hands.

The water stained a deep crimson quickly. The blood had also stained his tunic and he tugged the garment over his head, casting it aside into some corner. He continued washing his skin with the crimson water, scrubbing the brush furiously in hope it maybe would also wash away the memories attached to the blood. He discovered more and more stained patches of skin and grit his teeth.

Reflections of what Drago had made him do flashed up in the crimson water.

That first trap they had encountered; a juvenile Thunderdrum out of breath and screams, tugging at his hind-legs helplessly. Drago had claimed that first one for himself, but Hiccup was to open the trap again for another dragon to fall for it.

The one with the flock of Terrible Terrors caught in a net. That one had interested Drago the least, so he'd had Hiccup deal with them. "Cut their throats and be done with them."

A mother Nightmare caught in a snare, her hatchlings gathered around her. "Put the hatchlings into the cages." Drago had killed the mother himself, claiming yet another trophy for his collection. What he need the hatchlings for, Hiccup didn't want to know.

More and more images of trapped dragons awaiting their deathblow came to him with every drop of blood he washed away. Dragon blood.

Hiccup hadn't been able to save those innocent dragons. Not from Drago. Not from himself.

"Do as I say, boy," Drago had said when Hiccup had refused to kill the dragons for his stepfather. "Remember that you have a wife at home waiting for you. Wouldn't want her to have an unfortunate accident, now do you?" The blow Hiccup had been waiting for, the moment Drago used Astrid against him. He had seen firsthand one such 'accident' when one man at the docks had defied Drago and the next day his wife had been found dead; fallen down the stairs, they had said, but Hiccup knew it hadn't been a tragic accident.

After that threat, Hiccup hadn't put up much of a fight. Not when Astrid might have to suffer for his disobedience. Even though it killed a part of him every time a dragon's heart stopped beating at his hands.

Hiccup pushed the basin away. So much blood he'd already washed off, and still there was more on him. He scooted away from the it until his back his the tub. His breath came in gasps and his entire body was shaking. The smell of the blood still on him made nauseous. He looked at his hands and still saw them crimson despite having cleaned them furiously. Maybe now they'd always be stained to him; to remind him of his failure, to remind him that Drago was a threat, to remind him that Astrid would never be safe here, but mostly to remind him that there was no way to escape the madman.

A warm hand touched his bare shoulder and Hiccup knew he should put himself back together, put on a brave face. But he wasn't brave.

He heard her say something to him, but the words got lost in the turmoil in his head. He should look at her, not his hands.

She touched his cheek, demanding his attention and he couldn't deny her that. Her eyes were filled with worry and he hated that he was causing it.

"Please tell me this isn't your blood," she said and he shook his head. Her shoulders sagged in relief and a bit of the worry left her eyes. She nodded and stood up. Hiccup watched her rummage through the room until she came back with towels, soap and fresh water. She wordlessly took up where he'd stopped. She lathered the soap and dabbed the towel into the water. Her touch was gentle and stood in stark contrast to his harsh scrubbing. She started at his face, wiping away dirt and grime he couldn't see.

"He made me kill them," Hiccup whispered, ashamed of the words the moment they left his mouth. He didn't need to burden her with his sorrows, but the words had tumbled out without his consent anyway. Astrid stopped her cleaning.

"Kill whom?"

"The dragons."

And then the words just poured out of him. He told her everything that had happened while she cleaned his skin. She was silent for the most part, listening to him. Only a few times — when the words died on his tongue in fear of her reaction — did she ask him something that got him to continue sketching out the nightmare he'd lived for her. Not once did she say something to judge him.

At some point, Astrid went to get a chair and asked him to lean over the tub so she could wash his hair with another pitcher of fresh water. Her hands scrapped gently at his scalp and he allowed himself to close his eyes for just one moment and lean into the comfort she gave. But he still hadn't told her the most important thing. The one that did not only affect him and his sanity, but her as well.

When Astrid set down the water and moved to towel his hair, he met her eyes again and took her hands in his. "He-He threatened to hurt you should I not do his bidding."

Astrid opened her mouth to say something, her eyes wide and lost, but Hiccup had more to say.

"I-I tried to defy him. I told him I wouldn't kill for him again, I ha-had sworn I wouldn't. But he— he used you against me." His words were barely above a whisper by now. Deep within, he was still afraid Drago would hurt Astrid any moment despite Hiccup having done everything asked of him.

"We knew that would happen," she whispered after a moment and squeezed his fingers. "You were the one who told me that, remember?"

"I know, but— I didn't want it to be true. I still don't. I-I can't let him hurt you, Astrid. You were dragged into this mess because of me. I can't let him hurt you because of me."

"Hiccup, none of this is your fault." She flashed him a grin, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "And by the way, I can take care of myself, thank you very much."

He loved her confidence, but he shook his head. "You don't know what he's capable of, Astrid. You haven't seen— " He turned his head away and squeezed his eyes shut, taking a shaking breath. "I know that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself, Astrid. Believe me, I do. But I won't risk anything; I won't risk you. You've become too important to me. I can't— I can't loose you."

Astrid retreated her hands from his grasp and he thought she would go, driven away by his confession. But she didn't get up. She placed her hands on both sides of his face and made him look at her.

"Hiccup, you're not going to loose me. I'm not going anywhere and the one who tries to harm or kill me will find himself strangled with his own balls." Memories of a night that now seemed a life-time ago flooded Hiccup's mind; a dark alley, a bunch of drunken fools, Astrid cornered by them. And even though in hindsight she could have handled herself perfectly well, there was always the thought of what could have also happened. Still he cracked a smile for her since the mirth had finally reached her eyes.

"And what if he sends a woman?"

"Then she'll find herself at the wrong end of my axe as well." She placed a quick kiss on his lips and got to her feet, dragging him up with her. She was done discussing those matters, and it was probably for the best. The exhaustion was growing on him more and more.

They went to bed and Hiccup drew his wife closer into his arms, engulfing her in a tight embrace, and pressed their foreheads together. "Hey," he mumbled, already half-asleep.

"Mmmm."

"Missed you."

"Missed you, too, you dork." Astrid nestled against his chest. "Now go to sleep; you look like you haven't gotten any in days. I prefer my husband not looking like a draugr."

Hiccup chuckled and kissed the crown of her head. If only she knew how right she was. He'd missed her weight in his arms at night, missed listening to her steady breath while he fell asleep. And now that he finally had the comfort of her back, sleep came almost easily to him.

He was swimming on the edge of consciousness when he heard her whispering in the dark. She must think he was already asleep, for she seldom uttered such promises to anyone but the gods.

"I promise you Drago will never find Toothless, babe. And I promise you one day we'll get revenge on him for all he's done."

He held her just a little tighter as he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

 **A/N:**

Sooo... we finally arrived at the part of the story I've been dying to write. Seriously now, that scene from Hiccup's perspecive was one of the earliest I had in mind when coming up with this whole story! Even though it turned out slightly different than I had originally anticipated, but when does that not happen?

I've been thinking about reformatting the entirety of the story, merging a few chapters together for more polished chapter-breaks and all. Also, I've been slowly editing the story and let me tell you: I am cringing constantly... Sometimes I just wish to take this whole thing off the internet for a while and repost it when it's all nice and polished and without typos... but I think I'll just leave it like this for now and maybe post the updated version on ao3 and once it's completely done and nice it can go up here as well... we'll see!

Anyway, thank you all so much again for reading this story and sticking with it so far! You guys are amazing and I can't repeat myself often enough! Thanks to everyone who takes a bit out of their time to review! Until the next one!


	15. A Stormy Meeting

The blazing colours of autumn had left the crater and behind stayed muddy heaps of dried leaves on the ground and empty branches like bony fingers over their heads. The chill wind brought with it the announcement of winter and swirled up the brown leaves, making them dance around them and covering the air in a constant rustle. On the horizon, dark clouds were gathering. Later that day, a downpour would come, but for now the sky overhead was mostly clear. The only spots of colour inside the crater were the needle-trees that clung to their needles all year long.

Astrid rebraided her hair, her cheeks still rosy from the biting winds above the clouds. Her hair had come mostly undone during the wild flight Toothless and Hiccup had taken her on.

"You couldn't have waited to do that spiral until I had secured my hair, could you?" she asked Hiccup.

He shot her a cheeky grin over the shoulder while tugging at the straps of Toothless' prosthesis. "But then you wouldn't look so beautifully dishevelled right now, milady."

She snorted and secured the leather band around the end of the braid. "I swear, all I'm doing these days is fixing my hair. And every time it's your fault."

His shoulders shook as he chuckled.

Astrid tried to glower at him, she really did try. In the end she just sighed, more at herself than at him. She sat down on the ground and Toothless lay his head in her lap, cooing at her and blinking those big bright eyes. She immediately began scratching his scales and petting him which earned her a gummy smile from the reptile.

"Your rider really is good for nothing, hm?" she told Toothless. "Always messing up my hair, getting himself into trouble… He can't even get off your saddle anymore!"

"I can hear you, you know!"

"And at home he always, always forgets to close the doors behind him. Once, Drago almost walked in on us while we—"

"Astrid! You really don't need to tell the dragon those things!"

"— while we were talking about his embarrassing obsession with stuffed toys." Toothless rolled over onto his back and Astrid scratched the underside of his chin and neck. Hiccup had to scoot back from where he had been fiddling with the saddle or he would have been buried underneath the dragon.

"I do not have an obsession with stuffed toys, Astrid. I merely don't like them."

"Did you hear that, Toothless? He's in denial. Just two weeks ago he told me that stuffed toys were all cursed and would murder you in your sleep. He believes they are evil and are coming straight from Loki to doom us all. Apparently, they are gonna bring Ragnarok upon us."

"I-I didn't— I did not say that!" Hiccup's face was flaming red and he was almost sputtering in his embarrassment.

Astrid laughed. "Yes, you did. You were so damn drunk when we went through the rest of the presents from the wedding, babe. You flung that poor toy across the whole room and babbled about not wanting 'evil things like that' in our chambers. Or the whole house."

"Well, I just don't think a stuffed bear is appropriate for a child."

"Uh-hu."

"That thing looked nightmare-inducing."

"Hiccup, we don't even have a child. I'm still drinking the moon-tea, remember. So the only one who would get nightmares is you."

Astrid wouldn't have thought that it was possible for Hiccup to blush even more, but then his face took on an even deeper shade of red. He pressed his lips together tightly.

"Oh. My. Gods!" She broke into a fit of laughter.

Toothless rumbled when she didn't continue petting him and rolled back over to curl in on himself.

"I can't believe you had nightmares over a stuffed toy!" she wheezed out. "This is glorious!"

"Are you done?"

She shook her head and rubbed the tears of laughter out of her eyes that threatened to fall. "I'm so gonna tell Eret about this. This is such good blackmail-material."

Hiccup's eyes grew big. "Oh no, you won't." She nodded, giggles bubbling out of her. "Astrid, no." He sat in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. "You are not gonna tell anyone."

"Relax, I won't tell your secret." She grinned at him.

"Swear it."

Astrid rolled her eyes but complied anyway. "I, Astrid Hofferson, swear I won't tell anyone you had nightmares about stuffed toys hunting you in your sleep."

"Wrong name, hun. Like that, the oath is for naught." For one second, Astrid thought he was joking. He wasn't. He was dead serious and looking at her expectantly.

"Oh my— Which one then?" While they had been married under the name of Bludvist, Astrid didn't know whether the gods would accept it in her oath what with Hiccup not being born one.

"Haddock," he said immediately

"That might just be as much for naught as Hofferson, but oh well." The oath was only so her husband could sleep at night anyway. The more she thought about it, the more she believed it actually wouldn't matter that much if she swore by Hofferson, Haddock, or Bludvist.

"Nah, I never actually took up Drago's surname. It's nowhere written down on paper, so by marrying me you officially became a Haddock." He scrunched his face. "Well, unofficially officially since Berk doesn't know about it and people around here can never know."

"Alright then. Anything else I need to add to make this oath valid?"

"Your middle name."

"How do you know about my middle name? I never use it." She hadn't even told the officiator her middle name for their wedding, deeming it unimportant. She didn't particularly care about it and the only times it had ever been used were when her parents had been angry with her. But even that had only happened a handful of times over the years.

"Back on Berk I was often bored out of my mind." Hiccup shrugged. "Once I read all the birth certificates of the last generation in the Meade Hall and found out about it."

"You— actually, I'm not even surprised by this." Astrid shook her head. Hiccup had often disappeared into the archives of Berk in the Meade Hall for hours at a time. She had never understood what could have been so fascinating about a bunch of old scrolls and documents.

"Alright, here goes: I, Astrid Rona Haddock, swear I won't tell anyone you had nightmares about stuffed toys hunting you in your sleep."

"Good. Thank you." He looked at her with satisfaction crinkling his eyes. And Astrid couldn't help but roll her eyes at him in return. Gods, she had missed him the past week that he had been gone. Not that she would tell him that again; it would only unnecessarily boost his confidence. Although, she was glad that he seemed to be in better spirits again than he had been yesterday when the shock had still sat deep in his bones and he would stare at his hands as though they weren't part of him. It had pained her that she hadn't know how to take that pain away from him.

"You're ridiculous, you know that?" Astrid laughed and leaned forward to kiss her husband. Hiccup pulled her closer at the waist until she almost sat in his lap.

"You never seem to mind too much, though, so my ridiculousness can't be that bad," he mumbled into the space between them, his lips brushing hers and she smiled.

"Hmm, well, it would be rather boring without it, don't you think? And I need to get my daily amusement somewhere."

Their lips met again and Astrid lost herself in their embrace. She melted against him like the mold that had shaped them had intended for them to fit perfectly. She ran her hands through his hair, her fingers getting stuck on the little braid she had woven behind his right ear. Hiccup had tried to squirm away from her then, but he hadn't taken it out once she'd been done, just tugged at it with cinched eyebrows.

They pulled apart eventually, short of breath but smiling. A fluttery sensation ran through her stomach up to her heart; a familiar sensation, by now, since it came whenever Hiccup looked at her like she was the only one on the earth, whenever he kissed her like she was the line keeping him from drowning, or touched her like she was something precious.

At first, Astrid had wanted to ignore it and deny its meaning. But it would only return stronger, making it impossible to ignore, and Astrid had soon found that she didn't mind it anymore. Denying her growing feelings for Hiccup would be lying to herself. It wasn't love — not yet, but it was close— but she didn't doubt that with time they would be getting there.

"But you know what?" Hiccup prompted out of the blue.

"What?"

"I never actually had nightmare from that stuffed toy."

"No?"

Hiccup shook his head. "When I was little I had a plush dragon. Mom had made it before she was taken and Dad kept it. I was so afraid of dragons back then that I got nightmares from that toy, but I wouldn't tell Dad since it was one of the only things we had left of her, so I just pretended that it got lost when our house caught fire during one of the raids."

"Alright, what did you do to that poor toy?"

"I put it in a box and buried it in the woods."

Astrid threw her head back and laughed again. "Do you still know where you buried it?"

"Yep. Underneath that willow tree we used to play under. I thought it would be a fitting burial site for it since both gave me nightmares."

"The willow tree? I thought you liked it there!" The willow tree stood on a big clearing that was always somehow threaded with fog and barely ever did a bird sing there. When they had been just old enough to be let into the woods on their own, they would always play hide-and-seek there. Astrid had hated that place.

"No! Have you ever actually seen that place? I only ever went there because you wanted to go there."

Astrid was silent for a beat. "Then we've both been incredibly stupid."

"No."

"Yes."

"No, Astrid. You are not telling me we went there day after day after day even though we both hated that place!"

"I'm sorry," she said; more sorry for his disappointment than for hiding her fears when they were younger.

"Oh my gods!", he exclaimed and let himself fall flat on his back with a thump. "Think about all the other things we could have done instead!"

"All the other places we could have gone to," she mused with longing. How could they have both been so stupid?

"Why didn't you say something? Why did you even insist we go there?" Hiccup whined. He could be such a drama-queen at times. Astrid shook her head at him.

"Because I thought you liked it there and didn't want to sound like a coward." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, trying to overplay the red rising to her cheeks. "And why didn't you say anything? You could have done that just as well."

"Same reason." Hiccup looked at the sky as if he could see some other reality in it in which they had never gone to the willow tree. Where they had not constantly played at the scariest place — next to Gothi's hut, which was the nightmare of all children — on all of Berk.

"Thor!" Astrid flopped down beside him.

They just lay there for a while. Shoulder to shoulder and fingers intertwined. The dark clouds at the horizon drew nearer, but until they would have to leave the crater to escape a downpour was still some time. And the crater felt like a place far from reality and time anyway. Like it didn't belong into this part of the world.

A squawk filled the air and Toothless shot up from his curled up position to point his muzzle skyward. He cooed at the clouds and flapped his wings as though he wanted to take off and follow the noise. His tailfin was hitting the ground rapidly, like a dog wagging its tail.

"What's the matter with him?", Astrid asked, sitting back up and eyeing the dragon. She supposed Toothless wanted to follow whatever dragon had just flown by, but she wasn't sure. Hiccup had told her that he didn't particularly get along with unfamiliar dragons all the time.

Instead of giving her an answer, Hiccup just pointed to where the crowns of the trees parted for the clearing. Toothless flapped his wings again and cooed again, then the clouds parted and a blue and yellow dragon shot out of them. A Deadly Nadder.

Astrid cocked her head as the dragon circled above them and then descended into the clearing. Toothless immediately rushed over to meet it, barking in glee and standing on his hind-legs for seconds at a time.

The Nadder looked oddly familiar to her, but Astrid couldn't recall why. She'd seen many dragons of that species, but that particular colouring was fairly rare. She hadn't seen a blue and yellow Nadder in years — especially one this beautiful, but that could also be because she only recently had come to appreciate dragons.

Hiccup got up, holding out his hand for her which she took without second thought, still too engrossed with the new dragon in the crater.

"Do you want to go greet her?" Hiccup asked.

Astrid gave a start. "You know that dragon?"

He chuckled. "Of course. I'm actually surprised you don't recognise her. After all, you were the one hitting her with a broken shield."

A broken shield. When had she ever hit a dragon with a broken— The Kill Ring. Dragon training.

"That's—?" Astrid mustered the Nadder again and the images came back to her. At the time, she'd been too preoccupied with Hiccup 'stealing' her success to focus too much on how the dragons she'd fought looked like other than getting the species down. Now that she actually took the time to reflect, she recognised the Nadder as the exact same one that had chased them in the Ring, the same that Hiccup had knocked out just using his hands.

"Yes."

"But how—?"

"I freed the dragons Berk kept in the Kill Ring a few days after I went. They followed me around for some time and I've actually seen them a few times later at the sanctuary again. But this one is the only one who frequently shows herself." Hiccup led her toward the playing dragons and the Nadder stopped to pierce Astrid with yellow eyes.

Hiccup let go of her hand and closed the space between him and the Nadder, holding out his hand and the dragon immediately nuzzled its beak into his palm.

"Hello, girl," he said and Astrid watched in amazement how he interacted with the dragon. Up until now, she only ever seen him interact with Toothless, but their dynamic was completely different to what she witnessed now with the Nadder.

"Where have you been, huh?" Hiccup scratched the blue scales and the dragon leaned into his affection. Astrid had never seen a Nadder this calm. "You haven't visited in a long time. I was starting to wonder if something happened."

The Nadder squawked and ruffled Hiccup's hair with its beak. He didn't even flinch away from the protruding teeth that could pierce him if the dragon did just one careless move. But they never got close to hurting him.

Hiccup laughed and looked back at her. Again, he held out his hand for her. An invitation as well as a question. It was her choice whether she wanted to step further into his world and she know he wouldn't think any less of her if she kept her distance to this other dragon. She could stay right were she was and only allow Toothless into her own world yet, but—

Astrid tentatively drew closer, never letting the Nadder out of her sight. She didn't know this dragon yet and years of fighting against its kin had made her cautious; old habits were hard to shake off. She stopped a few steps away from the dragon, her fingers twitching.

"She's not gonna hurt you," Hiccup said and she wasn't sure if it was meant for her or the dragon since the Nadder had also taken a more defensive stance. Maybe it recognised her as well, remembered the way she'd treated it.

The Nadder turned its head, getting Astrid out of the blindspot all Nadders had.

Astrid took another step forward and another one until she was right next to Hiccup. He squeezed her shoulder. "Remember how you earned Toothless' trust?" She nodded.

Turning her head away, Astrid held out her hand to the Nadder. Her heart was going a mile a minute and the anticipation tickled in her chest. But just as with Toothless, she somehow knew the Nadder wouldn't hurt her.

The beak of the Nadder found her palm and she smiled. She glimpsed at the dragon and found it staring back at her. Astrid ran her hand over the blue scales and to the horn protruding from the beak. The dragon made a trilling sound and stepped closer. Astrid had the feeling that this dragon was just as obsessed with scratches as Toothless was. The yellow eyes never left her, but she found that they weren't the poisonous shade she'd remembered them as, but rather with warm hues of orange thrown into it. They reminded Astrid of the sunset on a warm summer day.

"She's beautiful," Astrid said and the Nadder trilled again, puffing its chest as though it had understood her perfectly.

"Careful with the compliments with that one," Hiccup said, his lips curling upward. "She one of the most vain dragon's I've ever encountered."

"But she couldn't possibly have understood me."

"Eh, probably not, but she's intelligent enough to know when it's about her and she can smell a compliment a mile away."

Toothless came bounding over to them, demanding part of the attention the Nadder was getting.

"Does she have a name?" Astrid continued giving the Nadder scratches along the jaw and even up to the crown of spikes, her worry about the sharp teeth completely forgotten.

"Not yet," Hiccup said, occupied with keeping the Night Fury at his feet satisfied. "Whichever one I gave her she would not respond to or look really offended at me." He shrugged. "But you can try naming her if you want. Maybe she'll one from you."

"What makes you think that?"

"She likes you." And as though to emphasise his point, the Nadder nuzzled her beak into Astrid's hair and Astrid laughed. "She's usually not very fast with trust, but apparently you have caught her interest already."

Astrid looked back at the dragon. To think that once upon a lifetime she would have only gotten this close to a Nadder for the kill. To think that she'd actually hit this particular one with her axe… she was thankful now that back then it had been stuck in a shield thanks to Hiccup. She ran her hand over the side of the dragon's skull and indeed found a scar — just a little indenture in the scales, a slightly lighter colouring along the tissue — where she had struck. Astrid frowned; the need to apologise to the magnificent beast was overwhelming.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you on Berk. I'm sorry I hurt you," she whispered to the dragon. The Nadder nudged her gently and squawked as though to convey forgiveness. Although she had only spend a few minutes with the Nadder, Astrid already felt a connection between them. She couldn't put her finger on what exactly it was, but it was there.

"Think about it a little," Hiccup said, still talking about the Nadder's name. He hadn't heard her apology; that moment had belonged solely to her and the Nadder. "I'm sure you'll come up with something she likes."

"Hmm…" Astrid chewed on her lip. "Can you tell me some more about her? I can't very well name a dragon without knowing at least something about it."

"I named Toothless without really knowing anything about him other than that he's a Night Fury, has a missing tailfin, and has retractable teeth. Are you telling me his name is crap?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow at her, amusement playing around his mouth.

She shrugged. "One would think the 'unholy offspring of lightning and death itself' had a name more fitting his reputation and not something that renders him harmless."

"Uh, well, he never protested it, sooo—"

"He's a dragon, Hiccup. I doubt he can understand you word for word as I can."

"And yet that one rejected every name I tried to give her." He pointed to the Nadder beside her.

"Maybe she just doesn't see you in the position to name her."

Hiccup huffed. "Alright, alright, I got it." Astrid shot him a triumphant grin. "And you are way to smug about this, milady. You should be focusing on the dragon, not on my shortcomings in naming things."

Astrid bit back the comment on her tongue. That why I'll have the last say in naming out children. They didn't even have any intention for having children in the foreseeable future, not to mention that she wasn't ready to be a mother just yet, so why her thoughts had taken that route was beyond her.

"Then tell me about her already!" She said instead, banishing any thought about any potential children they may or may not have in the future from her mind. They had been married for just over a month, for goodness sake. And as long as they were anywhere near Drago, she didn't even want to think about starting a family.

But then Hiccup started talking about the Nadder with the blue scales.

"She's loyal. She wanders between the dragons from the Kill Ring, the Sanctuary, but she always comes back here for a visit. Something the other dragons rarely do. She may not be as fast as Toothless, but she can keep up pretty well still. Always pushing herself." Hiccup looked up into the sky where the dark clouds were steadily gathering above the crater. "And she always comes with the storm. Flying ahead of it, but never lets an opportunity pass to also fly in it."

"Flying in the storm, huh?", Astrid asked the dragon more than Hiccup. "I think there's a name for you right there." The Nadder cocked her head to the side, wings flapping in anticipation. "What do you think about Stormfly, hmm, girl?"

The Nadder trilled.

"Stormfly," Astrid rolled the name around her tongue again. It fit. And the dragon seemed to agree with her, nuzzling Astrid's hair again and chirping happily.

"Oh, of course she likes the first name you present her with," Hiccup deadpanned. "It's not like I've tried several similar ones, but no, of course you hit the jackpot right away."

"Got a problem with that?"

Hiccup shook his head. "I've given up with that one long ago." He sighed. "But I gotta admit, it is a fitting name."

Stormfly squawked, prancing around like she wanted to announce her new name to all the world — or at least the squirrels hiding in the trees.

Thunder cracked in the distance and a light rain fizzled into the crater. Stormfly tilted her head skyward where the grey now presided. She came back to them and Astrid held out her hand again. Stormfly nuzzled her with her beak again, then went over to Hiccup and Toothless to do the same. She was saying goodbye.

"Don't leave for so long again, you hear, girl," Hiccup said to her.

Then the blue Nadder shot into the sky, her yellow scales like lightning on her body.

"Goodbye," Astrid whispered. Something told her that they'd see the Nadder again sooner than Hiccup might think.

~o~o~

The commotion in the mansion the a few days later was again reminding Astrid that their little time of peace and quiet was over. Drago had again taken on to holding his more important meetings in the room right next to the library.

"But why do you have to participate in this?" Astrid asked as she and Hiccup hurried down the hallways. They had dared to sleep in a little and now the sun was almost at its zenith and the meeting would begin in a short while. "Drago never tells you anything, so why would he want you there?"

"I don't know. He doesn't tell me the reasons for any of his decisions. And the last meeting I had to attend to with his highest ranking generals turned out to be about raising taxes and drafting more of the boys from the villages for his 'cause'." Hiccup painted the quotation marks into the air. "I only know that I had to have the report of our trip ready by this morning." He waved the small stack of paper into the air and huffed. "He could have very well written it himself, but no, why spend hours writing a report you could just as well just… speak when you have a 'son' you can torture with writing ten pages worth of garbage. Where would be the fun in that?" The sarcasm poured from his mouth thickly.

Astrid grabbed the report from his wildly gesturing hand. With his luck, he'd accidentally throw them down some staircase and spend then next few minutes chasing after the papers and then would have to explain his lateness to Drago.

"Better get all of that sarcasm out now, babe. I doubt it'd be of good use during the meeting." The pet-name rolled off her tongue so easily, she didn't even realise it until Hiccup raised an eyebrow at her. It was the third time this morning that she'd called him that.

"What?", she prompted.  
"Nothing." He smiled at her this lopsided smile of his and pressed a quick kiss to her temple. She snorted at his antics, but her hand found his regardless.

The library was located in the west-wing of the manor and was probably the only room there Astrid had ever bothered to seek out since the wedding. Not that most of the books in it held anything of interest to her since only a small part of them were written in Norse.

She really had to get Hiccup to at least teach her the basics of English; she didn't want to live in a place for an indefinite amount of time where she couldn't even communicate with the majority of the population. So far, the she had only found a few people she could talk to without having to rely on anyone to translate for her. And she seethed having to rely on others for anything.

The west-wing was for the most part stuffed to the brim with Drago's trophies. Drago held his meetings in that area for a purpose: To intimidate his guests from the get-go and reminding them of his power. It was disgusting and one of the reasons she tended to avoid this part of the manor despite finding the library itself a beautiful room to retreat to.

The hallway leading to the library was already filling with people Astrid had seen maybe once or twice in the past few weeks. Considering this was a meeting reserved for Drago's higher-ranking lackeys, they had probably been at their wedding, but Astrid honestly couldn't care less for who they were as long as she didn't have to spend the whole day in their company. She was supposed — for some pretentious happy-family implications to the outside — to officially greet them as Hiccup's wife.

Horren, she reminded herself. For these people he's Horren, not Hiccup.

Astrid spotted Valka hanging on Drago's arm; the view of her playing the doing wife to that madmen was even more disturbing now that she knew just how far he'd go in hurting Hiccup. If she were Valka, Astrid would have already attempted slitting Drago's throat in his sleep or putting a knife into his heart. It was a good thing Astrid hadn't seen Drago before now since Hiccup had come back to her with his soul in shambles; she might actually have tried to kill him had she seen him walking the hallways on his own.

"If you try to stab him, please don't do it in front of everyone," Hiccup whispered into her ear and put his arm around her waist, locking her in place right at his side. "I don't want to have to come visit you in jail."

"I'm not gonna stab him," Astrid whispered back. "But maybe I'll sneak arsenic into his wine tonight or swap out the parsley with hemlock. Maybe I'll find some nightshade or make him eat Lily-of-the-Valley."

"Your knowledge about poisons is kinda unsettling, Milady."

Astrid flashed him a grin. When she had been travelling with her father, she had met an old spiteful healer once. The old woman had been in a talkative mode and Astrid had gladly accepted the spontaneous lesson about the many poisons growing right under everyone's noses, disguised as innocent looking plants.

"One day you'll find yourself in need of some poison, my dear, and then you'll think back to that old hag plaguing you with lessons about plants and will want to thank me," the healer had said and much to her surprise — she probably didn't find young women willing to listen to her everyday — Astrid had not only thanked her right away, but also taken notes along the explanations.

Drago only spared them a quick glance. "You are late. I said midday, not five minutes after. And I had wanted that report by morning."

Astrid bit back the sharp reply forming on her tongue and Hiccup tightened his hold of her waist. Though, to hold her back from drawing her knife on Drago or for his own comfort, she didn't know.

"You wanted a report, here it is." Hiccup took the stack of papers back from her and handed them over to Drago. "That sadly didn't write itself. So excuse me if it took a while longer than anticipated." The iciness in his voice made a chill run down her spine. At least he was holding back with the sarcasm; such disrespect would only get him into trouble.

"I expect better next time." Drago opened the door to the meeting room behind them and stepped inside, Valka still hanging onto his arm. She smiled at them.

"What he's trying to say," Valka whispered as they followed Drago into the room, "is good morning, dears."

"It's hardly morning anymore," Drago grumbled, but that didn't stop them from wishing Valka one as well.

Drago positioned them at the door, the two women flanking the men. Astrid couldn't help but feel like a decoration during the whole ordeal of greeting people into the meeting. The only one who really acknowledged her presence was Eret and even he couldn't manage more than a nod and a grin before the people behind them shoved him forward.

"This is ridiculous," Astrid whispered to Hiccup through clenched teeth.

"Welcome to my life," he replied after shaking the hand of yet another lackey of Drago.

Some of the last piling into the meeting room, Astrid did recognise for a change. The Grimborn brothers and their cousin Heather. Astrid hadn't seen her again after the wedding and she wondered what she was doing at a meeting like this. From all Hiccup had told her about Heather, she couldn't recall him saying anything about her actively participating in Drago's 'business' despite her unwavering loyalty to her cousins.

Heather offered her a smile and — much to Astrid's surprise — it didn't look forced at all, not like the one Heather had given her the first time they had met. This one was easy to return.

The room was pretty much filled by the time the last attendee had arrived. Drago had taken Valka up to the head of the table with him. Probably so she could continue playing the supportive wife while he spoke to a man with a scar running across his face.

The meeting didn't seem to start just yet while Drago spoke to that man and little groups of people had formed.

"I had almost thought you'd go bailing on us again. Eret came back to them and slammed his hand down on Hiccup's shoulder. "Did your wife drag your ass down here or did you come all by yourself for once?"

"Naw, figured it wouldn't be worth the trouble." Hiccup laughed, but Astrid saw the flash of darkness in his eyes. And apparently so did Eret, the joke leaving the man at once.

"That bad of a trip, huh, mate? I knew I should have insisted more on coming along." He turned to Astrid. "I trust you patched him back up? He has the tendency to play down whatever's bugging him."

"I do not—" Hiccup tried to interrupt, but Astrid wouldn't have it. He had come back from the trip with Drago a complete mess and just last night he had woken up with nightmares hunting him again. As much as he wanted to put on a facade, he was still not completely okay and she doubted he would be for some time.

Astrid nodded. "As best as I could. Although I did have to break the lock on the bathroom door." She still didn't know why exactly Hiccup had locked it shut, although the implication had been clear. He had wanted to deal with it on his own. But they had made a vow on their wedding day to support and be there for each other through whatever life threw their way. For better or for worse. And Astrid intended to keep that vow and no locked doors would stop her from that.

Hiccup stared at the floor, avoiding the poignant look Eret was sending his way.

"We talked about this, mate," Eret said. "No locking yourself into rooms, no shutting the people who care about you out. It's not good if you always eat up all your problems. It's only gonna destroy you from within."

Hiccup didn't stayed silent. His arm disappeared from Astrid's waist and he retreated into himself. Astrid couldn't let him, wouldn't let him. She grabbed his hand, though it rested limp in hers.

"Hiccup," she whispered as loud as she could without attracting the attention from the other people in the room. "Hiccup, please look at me." Astrid crouched in front of him a bit, catching his eyes despite his efforts to avoid her. In them she saw the reflection of all the things he had seen and endured and the toll it had taken on him. Those usually wonderfully lively green orbs were dull and distant.

"I-I just didn't want you to worry," he whispered, his voice small. "You were asleep and I could've dealt with it on my own."

"Alright, first of, I wasn't asleep. I woke up the moment you closed the bedroom door. Second, you were going into shock, for fuck's sake." Astrid knew this was hardly the location to be having this conversation, but if Hiccup really made a habit of shutting people out when he needed them the most, then he needed to hear what she had to say. And he needed to hear it before Drago started the meeting and he put himself back into the state of mind she had only just begun to pull him out of. "I don't care if I'm asleep or something, when you are not okay, I want to know so I can help you."

One corner of his lips moved up, just a bit, but it was a start. He took a deep breath and straightened himself back up, the brave facade he wore around Drago back up and Astrid could almost believe it. Almost. He held her hand a little tighter.

"You'd better listen to your wife, Horren." Heather came over to their little group, making Astrid jump. She wondered just how much exactly the girl had heard of their conversation. If Heather had heard her call him Hiccup instead of the name he was going under as Drago's son, then she didn't let it on. "She obviously cares about you a lot. Throwing that away would just be plain stupid."

"Heather, darling," Eret said, his flirtatious-self back again. "Eavesdropping doesn't suit you at all."

"Oh, but then how else would I know that the reason you are here today is because Drago is giving you back your crew and wants you to lead the northernmost fleet?" Heather smiled a saccharine smile as Eret's face lit up in hope.

"He's giving me my crew and a fleet?"

"No."

Eret's face dropped. "Cruel."

Heather rolled her eyes and then then set them on Hiccup who had watched their banter with slight amusement while Astrid didn't know what to make of it. From what she had seen of Eret and his flirting so far, she had thought he was more interested in men than women. But then again, she didn't really know him that well yet.

"Not that it's not nice seeing you, Heather," Hiccup said, tilting his head, "but what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just thought that while you lot are in this meeting, boring yourselves to death, I could keep Astrid company. Get to know each other a little." The girl smiled apologetically at Astrid. "I'm afraid I might have come off as a bit icy last month."

"I'm sure you had your reasons," Astrid replied. She contemplated the offer Heather had made. She had planned on going to the far side of the estate and practice with her axe for the afternoon, but she couldn't deny that the prospect of having female company her age sounded good. And maybe they'd even get along. Astrid craved for some girl-talks that weren't with her mother-in-law.

Astrid gestured to the door. "I wanted to go train a bit. Would you like to come along?"

Heather grinned. "Let's ditch this place." To Hiccup and Eret she said,"Don't get into too much trouble without us, boys."

Hiccup rolled his eyes in good humour. "I think the ones who could get into trouble are you two, not us. We'll just be sitting on our asses all day and listen to old men talking about themselves."

"Ah, but there is the possibility of you verbally stepping on someone's feet," Eret pointed out. "Remember Krogan's face when you told him that no one cared about his stupid scar when he brought it up for the third time within the hour? He definitely was planning your murder then."

"Well, how's it my fault if no one else tells him the obvious?"

"One of those days your smart mouth will get you killed, Horren," Heather said.

"She has a point." Astrid chimed in, grinning at her husband's exasperated face.

"Three against one, this is so not fair." He pouted and they laughed.

Then Drago called everyone to their seats. Heather already made her way to the door while Astrid lingered a bit behind.

"Are you gonna be okay?", she asked Hiccup and he nodded. She raised up on her toes and he met her halfway, sharing a small kiss. He touched her cheek, his eyes filled with gratitude and something else, something even warmer. He pressed another kiss to her forehead before he went to his seat next to Drago.

"I'm gonna have an eye on him, Astrid. Don't worry," Eret said and patted her on the shoulder. Then he was gone too and Astrid followed Heather outside.

The young woman was waiting for her leaning against the wall opposite the meeting room. She had her head tilted to the side and watched Astrid emerge from the room.

"You love him," she stated.

Astrid was a bit stunned by Heather's bluntness, but gathered herself quickly, though the blush on her cheeks remained. She shook her head. "I don't think you can call it love just yet."

"Fine, then you like him. A lot. Same difference."

Astrid started walking down the hallway and Heather kept up right next to her. "Do you have a problem with that?" She couldn't figure this girl out. One moment, she seemed actually really nice and then she was suspicious again. The change of mood made Astrid feel slightly disoriented.

Heather shook her head. "No. I just don't want Hiccup to get hurt, that's all. And I know that he likes you a lot. So please, don't break his heart."

"I don't intent to." Astrid didn't mention that he probably had just as much power over her heart. He had captured it in quickly and now held it in his hands, whether he knew it or not.

"Good."

They walked down a flight of stairs and then another hallway that led to the backside of the manor house. The gardens spread out over a rolling hill, hedges surrounding the area and preventing outsiders from entering with thorned branches. At the far end of the gardens, an old oak tree rose from the ground and towered over the sets of herbs growing in meticulously planned circles all over; most of the herbs, though, had already given in to the change of seasons and the oak had left a pile of leaves at its foot. A small group of birches stood not far from the oak, in the very last corner of the estate.

At the sight, Astrid's fingers itched for the axe on her back. She looked back at Heather, ready to ask whether the girl would need a weapon, but Heather was already twirling twin daggers in her hands.

"Daggers, huh?", she asked instead.

Heather shrugged. "I like a more subtle approach to fighting with a weapon. I'm good with an axe, decent with a sword, but best with daggers." She nodded to Astrid's axe. "How long have you been training with the axe?"

"This one?" Astrid grabbed it from her back and spun it in her hand, enjoying how the sun reflected on its polished blade. "About a month now. But I've been wielding axes for as long as I can lift them up. Got the first one I could call my very own when I was twelve."

Heather whistled. "Impressive. You did look like a warrior to me the first time I saw you. I just couldn't fit it together with that whole trader's-daughter-thing."

"I am a trader's daughter. My father just hasn't been one for all my life. I was raised as a shieldmaiden." Astrid didn't want to reveal the very specifics of how her life had changed since her mother's death, but telling Heather that much couldn't hurt. It wasn't like she tried to make a secret of her fighting abilities what with walking abound with an axe slung over her shoulder.

"What about you?," she asked Heather. They were getting closer to their destination now and Astrid was curious to see just how good Heather was with her daggers. "How did you end up with your daggers?"

Heather looked at them wistfully. They were beautiful blades, the hilts adorned with tiny carvings on the metal and the leather wrappings stamped with swirling patterns. "They were a gift from my brother. A pun really if you think about it. Before I had them, I was also training with axes, trying to best my brother. But then, after our father's death, he sent me to Viggo and Ryker for reasons I still don't understand and he gave me those daggers and told me that he'd always protect me even if he wasn't there."

"How old were you?"

"Thirteen."

They remained silent for a while, dried leaves crunching under their feet as they made their way through the gardens. The midday sun was high on the sky, shining bravely through the set of clouds gathering from all directions. It air was heavy and Astrid wouldn't be surprised if the first snow fell within the week. It surely had snowed already on Berk. It was going to be the first winter Astrid would not spend on the sad little island that was still her home. Even if a dozen more winters passed before she ever set foot on Berkian soil again, it would still continue to be her home.

The birches were before them now and Astrid twirled her axe in her hand. She was in the mood to kill some trees today. Though the last time she had actually felled one of the birches in the estate's garden, she had received a stern talking-to from the gardener who was very against her just randomly felling trees just because she felt like it and not because she had use for said tree. They had agreed that she could have her fun with a handful to the back of the group of trees as long as she refrained from bringing them down.

"Wow," Heather said. "I don't think I've ever encountered such unfortunate trees. Whatever have they done to receive your wreath?"

Astrid grinned. "They stand in my Drago's garden. I don't need any other reason to maim them." She took aim and then let her axe fly. It embedded itself into the trunk of one of the few unscathed birches surrounding her preferred area for training; she'd hear from the gardener soon enough, she was sure of it.

"Hm," Heather flipped one of her daggers, pointed to a rather large black marking on one of the trees and the dagger found it's mark in its centre. The other one followed it a second later and landed just a few inches apart from it. "What about motivations? Got any or are you just generally spiteful?"

"Let's just say that after H-", Astrid caught herself just in time before she accidentally said Hiccup. Horren, she reminded herself again and again, for Heather he's Horren. She cleared her voice. "After Horren came back from his trip with Drago, I liked to envision my father-in-law standing there instead of some tree."

At that, Heather let out a melodic laugh. "Well, well. Would you look at that. Someone who finally dares to say it aloud. The boys are always dancing around, trying not to say anything too bad about that madman or my cousins in fear I would go telling on them. It's refreshing to hear." Heather sobered up from her amusement rather quickly, though. "Was it really that bad?"

"The trip?"

Heather nodded. "I overheard a little back at the manor. I— Horren never liked carrying out Drago's tasks, but this time seems to have been worse than before. I'm worried about him."

Astrid turned to tug her axe out of the tree-trunk. With her back to the other girl she said, "He came back covered in blood. From head to toe covered in the blood of dragons."

"Drago made him kill them, didn't he? He made him do that again." Heather's voice quivered a bit and Astrid wondered for a moment just how much Heather knew of Hiccup's love for dragons. Wondered if Heather really only felt friendship towards Hiccup like he claimed.

"Yes."

Heather's face was contorted with rage. The girl stepped a few threatening steps closer and Astrid knew it was also partially directed toward her.

"After the last time it happened, he swore never again. Horren would never again do that for Drago, no matter what," Heather seethed. "I told him this would happen, but did he listen? No, of course not. Instead he gets himself a pretty wife to warm his bed and lands himself in the same shit again that he just crawled out of."

Astrid couldn't believe her ears. "Gets himself a pretty wife?", she repeated. "Are you fucking serious? We had absolutely no say in any of this! My father's stupid gambling is what landed me here, not Horren wanting a warm bed! Thor knows if that were the case he would have spared himself the trouble and just go visit you!"

Heather's face took on a beet-red sheen. "You have no idea what you are talking about. And apparently, you also don't know your husband all that well if you believe he'd ever touch me."

Astrid snorted. "Don't play stupid, it doesn't suit you. Horren told me about that drunken endeavour the two of you had."

"But that's just it. We were drunk. He'd never touch me when he has all his senses with him."

Astrid already regretted taking up Heather's offer to spend some time together. Clearly, they weren't getting along if they were already arguing about Horren's drunken affairs. Hiccup's drunken affairs. All this name-switching had her head spinning.

But maybe that was just it. Hiccup was the man she was sharing a past with, sharing a life with. Horren was just the grotesque mask he wore to appease Drago and protect himself. Horren had slept with Heather, not Hiccup.

Or maybe Astrid was just slowly going insane believing such things as Hiccup and Horren not being one and the same man. After all, it didn't matter which name her husband wore, it was still the same soul behind it all.

"You know what," Astrid said. "I don't care. It doesn't matter. I don't even know why we are arguing about any of this. Neither Horren nor I ever had any choice regarding our marriage. We only chose to make the best of it, that's all."

A pitying smile appeared on Heather's face and Astrid wanted to wipe it off her stupid visage with her fist. "You honestly believe he couldn't have just refused you? He only had to say 'no' the moment Drago came up with the contract and Drago would have had to respect his choice."

"Maybe he could have done that." Heather was stupid to think Hiccup and she had never talked about his before, that Astrid didn't know that Hiccup has had the tiniest of choices that night when her father had gambled her away. "But then my father would have lost all our belongings to Drago and we would have ended up as beggars in this wretched city. At least like this, I'm only trapped in this city and not starving on its streets."

"And Horren can suffer the consequences. He cares too much. Even about poor trader's daughters he doesn't know."

Astrid grit her teeth. "You should stop talking about matters that are none of your business." One more offending word from Heather and Astrid might just let her axe slip. But Heather was still Hiccup's friend, as much as Astrid didn't understand how he could even stand her. And Heather was right: Hiccup cared too much. She lowered her axe, took a calming breath and looked the raven haired girl straight in the eyes. "Listen, I don't know how close you and Horren are and I frankly don't care. But you'd do better at remembering that I'm his wife, not you."

Heather huffed. "Wife or not, he broke his oath and probably just to keep you safe. You should have prevented that as his wife."

"Do you think I asked him to go and protect me from Drago? Do you really think I asked anything of him that I know would crush his soul? Because I didn't. And up until now, I didn't even know he swore anything of that kind! But you know what? Instead of arguing about things we can't change, maybe, since clearly we both care about him, we should, I don't know, work together!"

Heather took a step back, opened her mouth, closed it again, and then folded her arms over her chest. "I don't see how we could possibly work together on anything."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "You don't like me, I get it. And I'm not particularly fond of anyone faulting me for things I have no control of, either. But if we stop acting like petty children and put our differences aside, I think we might just be able to help Horren better than we could alone."

Heather sighed and dropped her arms. "I guess." There was a beat of silence in which both girls just looked at each other, the hostility slowly fading to the background. "I… It's not that I don't like you, Astrid." Heather said. "I don't even know you good enough to say that. I just don't like what your marriage to Horren means for Drago's control over him."

"I don't like it either. If I could, I would put a dagger into Drago's heart and leave this wretched place behind, but Horren for some reason-" — that Astrid couldn't tell Heather — "doesn't want to leave."

"You could just go alone."

"It's as you said. I like him. A lot. So I'm not gonna leave him."

Heather went to collect her daggers, twirling them in her fingers. "You really hate Drago, don't you?"

Astrid furrowed her brows. If she hadn't made that clear already… "Yes."

"Good. Then we have something in common besides caring for Horren. I also don't particularly like my cousins, by the way; they are a pain in my ass and way too close to Drago for my liking. I don't trust them farther than I can throw them."

"Which isn't far, I assume?"

"Barely an arm's length. They won't let me go back home even though I am old enough to make that decision myself. They say my brother would not welcome me back into our tribe, but that's not true. Dagur wouldn't do that to me. But regardless, the last time I tried to sneak away on a ship heading north, Viggo and Ryker had one of their lackeys drag me back and destroy the ship I was on." Heather again looked wistfully at her daggers. "You want to get out of this city? Then you are not alone. And when you and Horren manage to get away, I'll come with you."

Astrid bit her lip. "Horren told me your allegiance is with your cousins first and foremost. How do I know you aren't lying and are spying for them?"

Heather pulled one corner of her lips up into a sad smile. "You don't, you just have to take my word for it. But I am just as good at putting up appearances as you are and Horren are."

"But we aren't." A nagging feeling that Heather might know more than she let on came to Astrid. Does she know about Hiccup's past?

"Yes, you are. Pretending you both don't wanna put a dagger through Drago's heart whenever you see him, playing happy-patchwork-family. Pretty impressive if you ask me. No one who doesn't know the truth would suspect that the Bludvist family isn't as perfect as they appear to be."

So Heather didn't know. And what the girl didn't know she couldn't let slip in front of her cousins.

Astrid shook out her arms. "Alright, enough of this. We are on the same side, we both want out of here, and are good at fooling the people around here. Let's leave it at that for now." She spun her axe in her hand and took on a fighting stance. "Care for a little sparring?"

"You really wanna get close to my daggers?" Heather grinned and took on a similar stance. "You got guts."

"You won't even get close with those cute little blades. I've been fighting my whole life."

"But you won't stand a chance with a pretty weapon meant for decoration."

"Decoration?" Astrid laughed. "This baby is just as pretty as it is deadly."

And then their weapons clashed, the two girls dancing around each other, striking and parrying in rapid succession. In the end, both of them were covered in little nicks and bruises, and they called it a draw since neither of them had kept track of their wins. They were still high on adrenaline when the sun started to dip below the horizon and Hiccup appeared at the manor house, calling for them.

The meeting was over.

Astrid stuck out her hand and Heather clasped it. "You're not so bad after all."

"I can say the same about you."

They made their way back, talking about each other's techniques and sharing laughs. But their humour quickly faded when they saw Hiccup's stern expression.

~o~o~  
The meeting was a disaster.

Not for Drago of course. He and his lackeys found quite the joy in the retelling of Drago's dragon-slaying endeavours and took a laugh out of the captured dragons going to rot in the dungeons underneath the harbour.

It was a disaster for Hiccup.

"That flock of Terrible Terrors was just plain annoying. I can't stand those little pests, they aren't useful for anything. So now their throats are all slit and the world is rid of a few more useless beasts." Drago leaned back in his chair. "Horren did a wonderfully quick job of it, didn't even take five minutes to go through them and move on to the next trap." His dark eyes took on a glint Hiccup would rather not see again; it usually promised more horrors to come.

Hiccup looked at the tankard of mead in front of him and resisted the urge to down its contents in one large gulp. His hands were trembling again and he could still remember how they had been stained an angry red with blood, he could practically see it dripping off his fingers onto the table. Hiccup placed his hands underneath the table, out of his sight.

"Maybe you should take the boy along on your trips more often," Krogan, sitting across from Hiccup, suggested and smirked. "He's always rather useful and does his job more quickly and more efficiently than most of the men."

Hiccup narrowed his eyes at the man.

Krogan was one of Drago's closest advisers and — as Hiccup had found out just a few minutes ago — had been the one to place the idea in Drago's mind to actively hunt for dragons with improved traps. The latest technology Drago could find on the markets now went straight into the woods where they knew groups of dragons had settled.

"Maybe you could lend him to me for my project in the northern seas. I'm sure he'd be very useful there. I've heard he's kind of an expert in the area we're currently struggling in."

Hiccup held his breath. Krogan could mean two things.

Either, the man was talking about an geographical area, which would mean that Drago had something set up around Berk or the Sanctuary. That thought alone unnerved him. The sanctuary was a place dragons retreated to for safety; hence its name. If Drago's men set foot there, hundreds of dragons would lose their life or get imprisoned. And Berk… Berk was still home to him. He may have left it over five years ago, but because he hadn't fit in there, because he would have had to become something he wasn't — not that this plan had worked out for him in the end. But had had not left because he resented Berk's people. Despite how he had been treated there, he didn't hold a grudge against them and didn't wish Drago and the grudge he held to tread into Berk's waters. There were still people on that island that he loved.

Or the other thing Krogan could be referring to would be his ability to train dragons or at least connect with them on a peaceful basis. Krogan would have a reason to capture dragons instead of just killing them despite the collective resentment for the magnificent creatures them men at the table had. They wouldn't just capture dragons and imprison them for the fun of it. Drago was a businessman and everything he did had a reason — as wretched as they might be — and if he had agreed with Krogan's suggestion to capture dragons, he must also have a purpose for them. And if he could get them to do his bidding, if he could get his men in the air flying on them…  
Hiccup remembered the story his mother had told him about that gathering of chieftains gone wrong. She had only told it to him once, just after their initial arrival at Bludvist manor, with the warning to never mention Berk to Drago and even less so Stoick the Vast who had been the only chieftain to survive that gathering. Hiccup couldn't remember exactly what Drago had done or said when he'd busted that meeting, but he could vaguely recall dragons being mentioned. And army of dragons.

"Ah," Drago said, ripping Hiccup out of his horrid musings, "the boy would certainly show potential there." Drago carefully eyed him and Hiccup had to struggle to keep his features as neutral as possible. He raised an eyebrow in question at his stepfather's mustering.

Eventually, Drago turned back to Krogan. "But alas, I need him right here at the moment. Who knows what ideas his wife could come up with when he's gone for longer than a few days. It only took one week for the girl to convince my wife to redecorate my chambers." Drago scowled. "So, Horren stays, if only to keep his wife in check." He threw Hiccup a pointed look. "I'd rather not have to deal with that again, son."

Hiccup feigned innocence. Astrid had of course told him about her and Valka 'redecorating' Drago's chambers into a pink nightmare. "But didn't you give mom the permission to redecorate the house however she liked? You're being a little hypocritical complaining of the outcome now."

Viggo Grimborn, who had been silently observing for most of the meeting, gave a low chuckle. "With all due respect, Drago, but your son has a point. Women are irrational beings. And leaving them alone, especially two of them with a lot of money at their disposal, is bound to backfire. Just be glad they didn't spontaneously sell your trophies."

Drago's mouth pressed together into a thin line.

Hiccup smirked. He knew getting sassy at a meeting like this would also backfire, but the opportunity to get a laugh at Drago's expense and embarrass his stepfather in front of his dutiful lackeys was something that didn't arise just every day, so he had to seize the moment. "Oh, don't be so sure about that. I'm pretty sure the storage room is a bit emptier now than it was two weeks ago and the crown of Nadder-spikes has gone missing."

The men at the table broke out into laughter while Drago glowered at each and every single one of them, but mostly focused on Hiccup.

This was definitely going to backfire for him once the meeting was over.

Of course, Astrid and Valka hadn't actually sold any of Drago's trophies. Astrid had told them they merely had hidden them cleverly in the farthest, dustiest corner of the manor where no one would ever look for them. A Nadder's spike-crown would have raised way too much attention on the markets to get away with shenanigans like that. But of course Drago didn't have to know that.

"Anyway," Drago growled and the joke immediately left them all. "What we can take from this most recent trip is that we're almost ready in numbers. We'll of course have to wait out the winter, but after that, it should only take us a few more months until we're ready."

Hiccup felt Eret stiffen beside him and tension overtook him as well. A short look at his friend told Hiccup enough to know that whatever project Drago would be ready for, it wasn't good.

"The fleets are not ready yet, though," Ryker chimed in, his burly arms crossed in front of him. "Your decision to put even more young boys in the crews put us back a little. And I doubt they'll be of any use in a year either."

"Then up their training," Drago said, shifting through some papers spread out in front of him.

"They are children, Drago. Most barely scraping on adolescence. We can't up their training without breaking them." Viggo shook his head. "Go into other cities, on some of the islands due east and collect more men there. But those children won't be of any use if they died from work not suited for children."

"Viggo, you are testing my patience today," Drago said. "My decisions are not to be undermined. Or do you want me to replace you as my second-in-command? I'm sure Krogan would love to take that position."

"As a matter of fact, I would," Krogan said with a menacing grin toward Viggo.

Viggo clasped his hands. "I'm not undermining you or your decisions, Drago. I'm merely pointing out a more effective way of growing your army. Men from other cities would not only be experienced in more ways than the boys are, but also physically more capable of completing the tasks at hand."

Drago paused for a moment and Hiccup knew he was considering the pros and cons of Viggo's suggestion. In the end, he nodded. "Very well. See which of the boys are not up for the job in the fleets and send them back into town to the smiths. They will instead help with the weaponry. Those who are the sons of farmers or fishers you send back to their families so they can help there." Drago turned to Eret. "You hail from farther north-east, don't you? A Sami if I remember correctly."

"Yes, sir," Eret answered with slightly narrowed eyes.

His place of origin was a touchy subject for Eret. Drago had once attacked his tribe, killed most of its people and Eret and a few others had been taken to Greuelorm to serve in his fleet. Eret had never told Hiccup the specifics of the attack, the memories obviously too painful, but Hiccup guessed that whatever Drago had done was what made Eret's hate for the man he had to serve so strong. Eret had only just been out of boyhood when he'd lost his home and his family. Hiccup had no doubt that Drago had killed Eret's parents.

"Then tell me," Drago said, "how big a chance do you think we have collecting more men for our army in those waters? Your people are strong and would be suited quite well for my fleets."

Eret blanched and his hands griped the edge of the table with white knuckles. "I-I don't—"

"You already took men from there, father," Hiccup said, almost choking on the address. "Why not go due west this time? Or south? I've heard what's left of the Roman Empire is not only good with politics, but it also has well trained armies. Maybe you could sneak some of their men away for your army."

Drago tapped his fingers on the table. "The Romans, you say, huh? Interesting thought. We could send a fleet due south over the winter; their seas don't freeze as easily as ours do and we'd also save time like that."

Krogan huffed. "The Romans would kick our asses harder than you could possibly imagine. And you wouldn't have to go just south, but also, once in the Mediterranean Sea, almost as long due west as you just did due south. It would take months to just make one trip. Unless, of course, you mean the Holy Roman Empire, boy. They are within reach."

Hiccup shook his head. "The Holy Roman Empire is full of Christians. They would rather kill themselves before serving in a pagan army."

The discussion went on for awhile, everyone prompting new civilisations from which they could gather more men. But in the end, it was all for naught.

Drago shook his head. "Neither of those will end up following my orders. Either because they don't speak our languages and we don't speak theirs, or because of their damn virtue." He practically spat out the word. "We can't afford sailing halfway across the world and back again. My decision stands: we go north-east. Ryker, I want you to gather a small fleet, nothing conspicuous, just big enough to get hold of another few hundred men. Bring them to the northern stronghold for the winter and see to their training. And all that preferably before the ice sets in or you'll have to walk over it."

Hiccup balled his fists. Eret's face had taken on not only an ashen colour, but an underlying green tint to it.

His people would suffer again at the hands of Drago Bludvist and there was nothing either of them could do to stop it.

After that, Drago quickly dismissed the meeting. The men shuffled out of the room one after another.

Eret rose to his feet and made a beeline for the exit and Hiccup followed him. His friend would need to let his anger and frustration out and Hiccup didn't trust him to do so alone right now. Not when his emotions were still so raw.

They eventually stumbled into the hallway and Hiccup grabbed the sleeve of Eret's tunic and led him to the courtyard of the manor. It was their usual place for sparring and no one would bat another eye if they went at each other with weapons in hand.

Eret didn't complain. The colour had found into his face again. He was seething with rage. Hiccup took that over the ashen complexion he had worn just a few minutes ago any day.

Hiccup called to one of the stableboys to bring them a few training-dummies. Eret needed to destroy something.

"I'm gonna kill him," Eret choked out and hit the first dummy with his sword. "I'm gonna fucking kill that bastard with my bare hands." The head of the dummy went flying as Eret beheaded him with a single blow. "And if it's the last thing I do, then so be it. But Drago is a dead man walking." The sword found its mark in the chest of the dummy where a man's heart would have been.

"If it's any consolation," Hiccup said and stepped out of the way of the upper half of the dummies torso that came flying in his direction. "Astrid's been talking about ending his life as well just this morning. She'd be happy to assist. And me too."

Eret shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but his head is mine." And to prove his point he took the one of the second dummy, having discarded the first one. "But you can help me torturing him a little before I kill him."

Before long, Eret had completely destroyed all six of the dummies.

"Alright, mate," Eret said, not even out of breath. "Get your damn sword. I need to fight something that actually fights back."

Hiccup unsheathed the sword hanging at his hip. "Just try not to take any of my limbs. I need them."

"Can't make any promises right now. Too pissed." Eret charged at him and Hiccup did his best to dodge and parry the blows his best fried delivered. But with Eret fighting spurred on by his emotions, Hiccup didn't stand a chance. He was knocked the ground more times than he wanted to admit and had long since given up on counting the times his sword went flying. Eret was, after all, by far the better fighter and with a couple more years of experience under his belt too.

Hiccup didn't mind, though. He did his best at defending himself, but despite his efforts, his skin got nicked a few times anyway. Every time Eret's sword would his his skin instead of metal, he'd stop and look at the younger man with agony in his eyes, an apology fresh on his lips. But Hiccup waved it off every time.

"It's nothing, just a nick."

And they would continue their sparring match until the sun dipped at the horizon. Hiccup again landed on his ass and Eret helped him up.

"Thank you, Hiccup," he said and clutched their hands together.

"Any time," Hiccup responded.

Eret clapped him on the shoulder and then left the manor. Hopefully to go back to his flat near the docks, but Hiccup had the feeling the man would be brooding in some tavern for the better part of the night. He wished Eret would ask him to tag along for that, but Hiccup also knew that Eret needed to be alone with his thoughts right now. Alone with his grief for his people and the fate that would befall them yet again.

Hiccup sighed and discarded of the destroyed dummies with the help of some of the workers still running about the courtyard of the manor. Then, he went to the other side of the building, looking over the grassy hill that made up the gardens. At the far end, he could see two lithe forms dancing around each other with weapons glistening in the evening sun. Astrid and Heather had really gone sparring for the entirety of the afternoon.

Hiccup shook his head. He and Eret had only been at it for maybe an hour and he was exhausted beyond compare. How those two still found energy to lift their weapons was beyond him. But then, they could just as well have been talking for the better part of the afternoon.

He brought two fingers to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. The girls stopped their sparring and Hiccup waved for them. They came back to the manor talking and laughing and Hiccup felt some invisible weight being lifted off his shoulders. He was glad the two young women got along and that at least they had had an enjoyable day.

When they came near enough, though, they stopped their laughing and Hiccup realised that he must be wearing his frustration from the meeting and his worry for Eret on his face.

"How did it go?", Heather asked.

Hiccup shook his head. "Not good." He sighed. "Not good at all."

He briefed them about what had been discussed and when he came to the part where Drago planned on raiding Eret's homeland, the two women didn't hide their shock.

"Eret never mentioned his home was attacked by Drago and his men," Astrid said and clenched her fists. "And now Drago wants to do it again? That is just…"

"Cruel," Heather finished for her. They shared a look that had Hiccup wonder just how well they had bonded in the hours they had been on their own.

"Eret's pissed, of course. He practically branded Drago a dead man, but that's nothing unusual for him." Hiccup crossed his arms. "But what's new is that now he wants to add torture first."

"Oh no," Heather said. "Where is he now? You didn't let him go off on his own, did you? You know how much of a touchy subject his homeland is for him, Horren."

Hiccup threw up his hands. "What could I have done to stop him? Tie him to a chair and tell him not to drown his misery in alcohol? He'd have felt even more betrayed for that than he already does, Heather."

"Is he going to be okay though?", Astrid asked. "I mean, he obviously won't be okay with what Drago has planned. But he won't do something entirely stupid…right?"

"Probably not," Heather shrugged. "But I also wouldn't be surprised if we have to drag his drunken ass out of some tavern because he started a brawl."

Hiccup chewed on his lower lip. "I thought that maybe it would do him good to think about all this for a while. But maybe we should go looking for him just in case. He didn't have a horse with him, so he couldn't have gotten that far into town."

They found Eret just outside the town gates, an icy look spared for anyone daring to step into his path. When they approached him, his first reaction was that of annoyance, but Hiccup could see that beneath the surface, he was glad they had come looking for him. They didn't end up going into one of the many taverns, but instead Hiccup spend good coin buying a barrel of ale and the four of them retreated to Eret's flat.

It was well into the night when Hiccup and Astrid bid their goodbye. The flat was big enough for a cozy night of drinking and companionship, but not for all of them to spend the night there.

"I'll stay here," Heather said and patted Eret — who was considerably more drunk than the rest of them and would probably not remember half of the night — on the cheek. "Someone has to take care of this buffoon."

"Mm no buffoon," Eret slurred and then his head fell down onto the table. "Youu're the buffoon." He pointed his finger in Heather's general direction.

"Whatever you say, muscle-head." Heather sat down next to him and hugged him from the side, her head coming to rest on his shoulder.

"You sure we should leave them here like that?" Astrid said. She almost hadn't touched any of the ale and was probably the soberest out of the four of them.

Hiccup shrugged. "Heather has taken care of him when he was worse." He blinked. "When we were worse, really. She'll be fine handling Eret alone."

"Go, you two! We'll be fine," Heather shooed them and they complied.

Much to his embarrassment, Hiccup had to lean on Astrid more than he wanted to admit as they made their way to their horses. His head was swimming from the alcohol and he came to the conclusion that maybe he shouldn't have drunken that last tankard.

"How are you still so sober, milady?" he complained when he finally sat in his saddle after struggling to pull himself up. Astrid on the other hand barely swayed and still was graceful as a Valkyrie as she climbed onto her own steed.

"Easy," she said and send a cheeky smile his way, "because I didn't drink nearly half of what you had, babe. I don't really care for ale that much."

"Next time tell me what you like and then we'll also get some of that." Hiccup said and tried to keep the world from spinning as his horse followed Astrid's through the streets. "Shouldn't have drunken that last one," he mumbled and held his head.

"No, you shouldn't have. As I told you. But you didn't listen, so don't complain now." She glanced at him. "And if you are planning on getting any ideas once we're home, forget it. I'm not gonna kiss you when you smell and taste like ale, nor am I gonna sleep with you when you can't even stay upright on your horse."

Hiccup glared at her and sat up a little straighter. He had been leaning a little too much to the side. "Way too sober. And cruel."

He swore he could hear her laugh, but then his head spun again and he had to fight not to fall out of his saddle.

 **A/N:**

So, another chapter out in under a month, yey! And considering this is another monster-sized one and I've been also writing another story this past month, I think I'm gonna pat myself on my back now. I mean, this chapter was freaking double the word-count of the last one! WTF?! And I've already started outlining and writing the next chapter! (pssttt, all fans of our dear Snottykins listen up! You'll get some good angsty stuff from him! *shuffles into the darkness*) I'm really digging my new writing routine so far!

Anyway, enough of me rambling; let's get down to business! *plays I'll make a man out of you in the background*

I just wanted to again say thank you to everyone who reviewed! You guys just always make me smile and are the motivation that keeps me writing this monster even though at times other projects hold my interest more! I love each and every one of you so much and just so you know, I do recognize the names of those of you cuties who reviewed more than once. Your kind words always leave me humbled and at a loss for words :) Please keep them coming! And if you have any questions, please please please feel free to throw them at me because at times I feel as though parts of my story only make sense to me and not to others because I of course know everything of importance to this story (future evens as well as those of the past), but you don't know everything yet so it's sometimes hard for me to know whether certain scenes even make SENSE outside of my head!

And also to the guest who wondered about Berk's role in this story in the future: it's gonna play a major roll! I mean, Drago HATES Berk and half his family hails from there so OBVIOUSLY drama is about to happen!... just not the way you all may think *leaves with evil laughter*

So, now, before I disappear for another month, what do you guys think about the last few chapters' lenghts? Should I stick to a range of more like 6-8k per chapter (like the last three were) or do you like them better longer still around 12k (like this one) or much shorter like those very first few ones that never went over 4k? I'd love to hear your opinions! :)

So, that's it, folks! Enjoy the last days of summer! Until the next one!


	16. The Lovely Smell Of Holiday

Snoggletog Eve came faster than Valka had anticipated. Just three months ago she had welcomed the chill of autumn after a hot summer and now winter had arrived and rendered the worlds a crystal white.

A gust of wind swept over the land and in through the window, ruffling Valka's hair gently. It brought with it the laughter from outside where Hiccup and Astrid were enjoying the snow. The young couple had taken the afternoon for a walk through the gardens, talking about things Valka couldn't hear.

At one point, Hiccup had gathered a handful of snow from a bush in his hand and formed into a little ball that he mindlessly threw between his hands back and forth while talking to Astrid. Even from the distance Valka had been able to see the mischievous smirk appearing on her son's face before he grabbed some more snow and showered Astrid with it. The young woman's shriek had send a few maids running outside to look at the commotion, but the young couple had just gone into a full-on snowball fight that had left Valka clutching her stomach in laughter. They were lying in the snow now, trying to cover the other with as much of the frozen mess as they could manage.

Valka called one of the maids and told her to prepare a hot bath and tea for her son and his wife for when they finally decided that it was way too cold to be outside.

When Valka turned back, she caught her son pressing kisses on Astrid's lips that weren't all too appropriate for outside of their chambers.

She shook her head to herself. They reminded her of her and Stoick when they had been their age. Young and in love, without a care in the world while in each other's arms. The memory made her heart ache even though it had been nineteen years since she had last seen her first husband.

But time couldn't erase the love she had for him. To think about all the grief he must have gone through, thinking first his wife and the his son had been taken from him. Valka wished she could have taken that from Stoick, but some things were more important than love. And she could never have gone back to him after all that she had learnt, after she had become the woman she was today.

The ice hanging from the windowsills glistened in the light of the setting sun. They reminded her of the eternal ice of the Sanctuary and the white, gentle giant living inside of it. It was too long ago that she had last seen her beloved Bewilderbeast, the king of all dragons. When she had left the safety of his fortress in the arctic lands, she had thought to be back again within just a short while, like she had always been. But it had been over four years now that she had left the sanctuary with her son and had to start a new life for the second time.

Hiccup had still been transitioning from living on Berk to living in the wilderness on his own to living with her in the Sanctuary. It had been too much change in too little time for him, she had known that. But she had done what was necessary to keep him and everything they held dear safe. And living with Drago Bludvist as his family was doing just that. Keeping them safe. If only Hiccup could understand this as well.

But the boy only saw Drago as a threat and Valka had given up on trying to convince him to see beyond the obvious. He had inherited the stubbornness of his father. Valka understood were her son was coming from, though. Drago had done terrible things and had made Hiccup do them too. Was still making him do them. And Valka loathed her husband for making her son suffer like that. But she also knew why Drago was doing what he did, she just couldn't tell Hiccup; he wouldn't understand yet. Maybe he would never understand.

Drago wasn't a good man. He made no secret of his liking for waging war and conquering foreign people. He was a warlord and a ruthless one at that. He would set fire to everyone daring to rebel against him without batting an eye. He had done so with the council of chiefs that had laughed at him all that time ago. Burnt alive by his army of dragons.

But that wasn't all there was to him. He could also be quite useful, too.

Drago wanted to rid the earth of all the 'pests' inhabiting it. And the biggest pest for him were the dragons because of their centuries old war with the humans. Valka knew that war was no war but rather a fight for survival for the animals. There could be peace. Drago knew that as well, but he had the wrong approach to solving the problem at hand. But that didn't mean that Valka couldn't use him to her advantage still. She only needed the right moment to turn things around in her favour without Drago noticing.

Of course, over the years, more variables had become present to her plan. Her son and his young wife were one of them.

She hadn't anticipated for Hiccup to one day show up basically on her doorstep on a dragon. He had taken after her more than she could have hoped for. If only more Vikings turned out like him. The world would be a better place, then, with way less mindless killing and unnecessary feuds between species.

But Hiccup wasn't willing to go the lengths it would take to end this war. Especially not now that he had Astrid at his side.

The door to her chambers opened and heavy footsteps sounded through the room.

"Tomorrow, I'll go on another trip. I'll be gone for two weeks."

Valka closed window turned to her husband. "Tomorrow? But-"

Drago grunted. "Wife, you know I don't care about your holiday. It's not important to me and the weather is still merciful. So I'll go tomorrow."

Valka sighed. There was no arguing with her husband. Even if she didn't like him wandering off over a holiday yet again. He wouldn't even try to pretend they were a family.

"Where to?"

"To the southern Markets. My brother will meet me there."

His brother. Valka had never met this mystery-brother Drago would talk about from time to time. She had never seen him, never learnt of his name. Only that he was a merchant and travelled the world to scout for Drago.

"Do you plan on bringing back more dragons?" He always brought some back from wherever he went. Sometimes they would be dead and she would be furious. Other times, they were still alive and Valka could hope to one day free them from the shackles of her husband.

"Always, dear," Drago said. Valka shuddered at the term of adoration.

"Well, if you won't be here for the holiday," Valka said and went to the desk in the corner of the room, shuffling through papers without looking at them, "then at least bring me something nice from the markets. Maybe some Persian fabrics. My closet is looking rather dull again."

"I'll see what I can find." Drago corrected the position of his metal arm on his shoulder. A habit he had developed whenever he was about to tell Valka something she wouldn't like hearing. She had her arms akimbo and a frown upon her face before he even opened his mouth to speak again. "I'll take the boy with me."

"You won't."

"It's not up for debate. He proved useful yet again during the last trip, so he'll come and learn some more."

"No. I forbid it."

"Valka. Horren comes along." That did it.

"Stop calling him that. It's not his name," Valka seethed. She had never liked Drago renaming her son just because 'Hiccup' wasn't frightening enough for him. My son must have a name that puts fear in our enemies, Drago had said after she had signed the contract that bound her to him as his wife, even if he doesn't look the part yet.

"It's the one he bears as my son so that's what I call him." Drago turned to leave, but Valka reached the door before him and blocked his path. She wouldn't let him take her boy from her again so soon.

"You won't take him along. You may not care about our holidays but I do. And he does too. So at least grant him that." Valka was ready to beg. But begging wouldn't work with Drago Bludvist. If anything, begging would only encourage Drago to do horrible things to Hiccup. He was a twisted man like that.

"Eh. You just said it. I don't care." Drago grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the door-frame. She shoved against his broad chest, but he didn't even sway.

"He has a wife now, for crying out loud. It's their first Snoggletog together, let them have this."

"Valka," he ground out through gritted teeth. His jaw was tight and his eyes flashing. He was furious with her, but he wouldn't raise his hand against her. He never did.

"You wanted him to get married," she pressed. "You got him a wife. So now deal with it and let them be married and celebrate holidays together like other couples do. Like normal couples do." The hint wasn't lost on him and he rolled his eyes. It wasn't the first time she told him that she didn't like him always being away for the holiday.

Their marriage was far from perfect, but they were married and she expected of her husband to at least show some respect for her wishes. Why he was so against holiday celebrations like other families had them was lost on her, though she suspected it having to do something with his fist wife.

"She's just his wife so I have something to control him with." Drago smirked. "And it's working already."

Valka grabbed a bunch of rolled-up papers from the shelf next to the door and whacked his head. "Just because you are the worst husband in all of existence doesn't mean I'll allow you to teach my son this behaviour"

Drago tried to grab the papers from her. But having just one arm put him at a disadvantage so she hit his grabbing fingers. Drago scowled and took a step back.

"He stays," Valka said. "Or I'll cut your balls off in your sleep. Don't think I won't. And if you say one more thing I'll take your cock too and feed it to the dogs!"

Drago remained silent, knowing what was good for him. It took another moment, but eventually he curtly nodded.

"He shall stay." His hand balled to a fist and the colour of his face had turned to an ugly purple in his anger. "But next time, he will come with me. Without debating."

Valka narrowed her eyes and stepped out of the doorway. "Fine."

He was halfway out of her sight when he turned back to her again, fingers gripping the door-frame so tightly the wood groaned and his knuckles were ash-grey. "And the next time you forget who holds the power in this house, wife," he spat out, "there will be consequences." Drago slammed the door behind him.

Valka threw the papers she was still holding at the door and shrieked between clenched teeth. This man was stealing her last nerve. She couldn't wait for the day that she could finally dispose of him.

~o~o~

Snotlout's boots crunched in the thick layer of snow covering Berk. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his bear-fur coat. His breath appeared before him in puffy clouds and yet another wave of shivers ran through his bones.

It was one of the nicer winter days Berk had seen since the ice had set in, with the sun peaking though the blanket of clouds overhead and the white flocks drifting down slowly in a harmonious dance. He would have admired them, found this day worth smiling about, but instead the freezing cold had turned him into a walking icicle and his mouth was set into a grim line. Not because of the cold — he was used to it after a life-time of living on this sad rock in the ocean, but it certainly also didn't cheer him up that yet again, Berk lived up to its reputation of giving your spleen frost-bite.

The reason for his ill mood stood at the feet of the steps to the Meade Hall, red beard a flame against the stark white background.

His chief scowled at him and Snotlout couldn't help but find a Monstrous Nightmare more appealing in that moment. At least it could set itself aflame and he would have been warm.

"Ye're late," Stoick scowled and it was an effort for Snotlout to roll his eyes and groan.

So instead he grumbled an apology even though he was perfectly on time. The sun had just started to rise over the endless planes of ice where the ocean had frozen over. His chief had said sunrise. It was sunrise. But Snotlout knew better than to argue with his uncle over such things again.

If the chief said he was late then he was late no matter how the facts said otherwise.

"I want ye ta oversee the decoration o' the tree," Stoick said, gesturing to the big artificial tree the villagers erected every year anew for the celebration of Snoggletog. "I want tha' finished by evenin'."

"Got it, chief," Snotlout said.

"An' no such incidents like last year, lad. Keep the twins as far away from the tree as possible. An' make sure the shields are actually secure. I don't need no villagers injured this short before the celebrations tomorrow."

"I'll try my best with the twins, chief. And I'll check every shield myself." Snotlout had learnt to just say what his chief wanted to hear from him. But lately it seemed as though he couldn't do him right no matter how much he tried, how hard he worked, how perfect the result was. The man was unpleasable. It was frustrating to say the least. But still Snotlout tried to be the good heir he was supposed to be.

"Ye won't just try," Stoick scowled again, jaw tight. "Ye'll strap them ta a post if ye need ta!"

"Yes, sir."

"An' don't let them leave yer eyes. Those two devil will burn down the whole tree otherwise and manage to wreck all other preparations for tomorrow within one moment o' inattentiveness o' ye."

Snotlout clenched his fists and looked at his boots. "Yes, sir," he ground out between clenched teeth.

"Good." It didn't sound as though the chief of Berk was satisfied with him yet, but the list of todays work was long and it was the only escape Snotlout had from Stoick's further reprimanding. "I'll be in the Meade Hall."

With that, the bulging figure of the chief stomped up the many steps, shoulders hunched over and most signs of the intimidating men he was gone.

Snotlout shook his head. One moment, Stoick was almost verbally ripping his head off for things he hadn't even done yet and the next, when he thought no one was watching due to the early hour it was, he looked like the lost man he was. A man still lost in grief.

Snotlout turned away from the sight of his uncle and made his way to the village square where the base of the tree had already been set up. Painted planks of wood leaning against each other and nailed together to resemble a towering fir in the middle of the village. Why they didn't just put a real one from the forest in there, Snotlout wondered for years now. But it was tradition. And gods beware they stray from tradition especially on Snoggletog.

The first people came shuffling out of their houses and he quickly gathered his team for the decoration of that thing. They got out their ladders and he directed the men and women with the shields to where they would have to put them. It didn't take long and the sound of hammering filled the village and the first shields were up, adorning the faux tree while they weren't needed for defence against the dragons.

"Hey, Snotface!" Tuffnut leaned on his shoulder. Snotlout gave a start and would have yelped were it not for Ruffnut to clamp her hand over his mouth.

"Ah-ah, no girly-shrieking this early in the day, Snotty," the female twin said by way of greeting. "My ears don't need violation like that just yet."

Snotlout shoved them both off him. "What the Hel, you guys?" He rubbed at his mouth to get whatever substance had been on Ruffnut's hands off. He did not want to know what that was. "You aren't supposed to be here. I told you that last night."

"Supposed to be where?", Tuffnut asked.

"Here," Snotlout said and pointed to the tree. "You aren't supposed to be anywhere near that tree, remember? Stoick'll kill me if he sees you here."

"Ah, we'll hold a speech at your funeral, don't you worry," Ruffnut said and the two twins made to go nearer to the tree, rubbing their hands in mischievous glee.

"Oh no, you don't," Snotlout ground out and gripped them by their braids. He did not want to know what they had put in their hair to make it that gooey-feeling. He yanked them back and down to him. They may be towering over him like most of the villagers, but he wouldn't let that stop him from talking down to them.

"The two of you will go to the side of the plaza now where I can see you. And. Stay. There." He narrowed his eyes at them. "Chief wants me to have an eye on you and I have no desire to put up with his moods one day before Snoggletog more than I already do. Understood?"

The twins exchanged a look he couldn't interpret for the life of him, but suspected as not good.

"Understood?", he asked again more forcefully. A few villagers were looking at them now. Watching him deal with the twins was always a source of amusement for them and Snotlout had to bite back the sharp comment on his tongue. Instead he focused on the two of his peers that robbed the last nerve from him.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut nodded quickly and Snotlout thought they'd scamper away the moment he let go of their braids, but instead they just straightened up again. Tuffnut cracked his neck.

"You know, you are way less fun than you used to be, Snotman. It's gotten worse since Astrid's gone," the male twin said.

His sister nodded in agreement. "And then some since we heard she got married. Jealous that you're not the one who ended up bedding her?"

Snotlout scowled. "Have you two muttonheads stopped to consider that maybe I'm just as sick of your shenanigans as everyone else?"

"Totally wanted to bed her," Tuffnut said. "You've been after her skirt since she first punched you in the face."

"I've not—"

"Just don't think about chasing my skirt now," Ruffnut said and shuddered as if the mere concept of him lusting after her were reproaching for her.

Snotlout pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh don't worry, Ruff. Won't happen. And now go, for Thor's sake. I got work to do!"

They scampered away as he had hoped they would have done earlier.

He didn't tell them that the crush he had been nursing on their friend and most capable shield-maiden of Berk had been mostly a show he had put on for his father.

Spitelout Jorgenson would have loved to have the Hofferson girl as his daughter-in-law. But Snotlout had gotten the notion that Astrid would never even consider marriage to him long ago. And she wasn't even his type either. Too skinny, not enough meat on her bones despite being quite physically capable. And, if he were being perfectly honest with himself and what he tried to ignore most of the time, Astrid — as beautiful as she was, he couldn't deny her that — didn't have the right parts to appeal him.

Snotlout shoved the thought aside and focused again on his project. The decoration process went smoothly after the twins had gone. No interruptions when he ordered where to place the shields. No explosions that would set half the village on fire. And no boar-chase through the paths.

But Snotlout didn't have to look where he told the twins to sit and stay and not do anything to know that they had not stayed. They had probably gone to wreak havoc somewhere else the moment he had turned his back to them.

He could already hear the earful he would receive from Stoick for that. But he wasn't the twins' personal babysitter, and he sure had other thing to do than watch them all day long.

Sometimes Snotlout wondered why Stoick had named him heir after his cousin had been declared dead. Just because they shared some of the same blood didn't mean Snotlout would be a good alternative.

Because that was all he was. And alternative. A replacement. And for his good-for-nothing cousin, too! Hiccup had never been enough for his father. And it seemed that he was going down the same path.

He should have named someone else heir. Astrid would have been a good choice. She was everything Stoick wanted in his successor. Fierce, ambitious, strong, dedicated.

Snotlout was just strong. He was a warrior, not a leader. And it showed. The villagers listened to him because of the title he bore and because he just executed the chief's orders, but not because they respected him in the position. The moment he'd don the mantle of chiefdom, they'd stop listening to him entirely.

The last of the shields went up and his team quickly disintegrated. They left to do other things before he could even utter the word to dismiss them. He swallowed against the frustration bubbling up in him.

Snotlout snatched one of the ladders they had left leaning against the tree and made to test each shield's hold on the make-believe tree. After the first few, he already had to put more nails in to prevent it from falling down and possibly injuring one of the children who liked to play underneath it.

"Hey, Snotlout!" Fishlegs emerged from the forge. He sometimes helped Gobber out there, though it was obvious that he was no smith and that Hiccup had been doing more work — and good work at that — than they had known.

"What's up, Fishface?", Snotlout said around a couple of nails he held with his teeth. "Came to help?"

"Actually, no. I was looking for the twins. They stole Gobber's hand again. Did you see them?"

Snotlout shook his head and plunged another nail in. He let his eyes glide over the village, the high vantage-point allowing him to even see over the nearest roofs. He immediately picked out the Thorstons' house. And there, right on top of the chimney, stuck out Gobber's hammer-replacement.

"Thorston's roof. Take a ladder." He nodded to another one the villagers had left, but this time lying on the ground instead of at least leaned-up against the tree.

"Thanks, Snot. And I'll help you as soon as Gobber gets his hand back!"

Snotlout waved him off, but he young Ingerman grabbed the ladder and was already on his way. He was inclined to watch the bigger man retrieve the hammer-hand, but the shields didn't test themselves on their own.

But he knew Fishlegs was a man of his word. And when his friend indeed came back to help him make sure no shield would fall, he didn't suppress the smile tugging at his lips. At least there was kindness in some people still. Not something very viking-like, but something Snotlout had come to greatly appreciate since his uncle bestowed him with more and more — sometimes impossible — tasks every day. Without the help of Fishlegs and Astrid he would have crumbled under the pressure years ago. And he already was now that one of the two helping-hands was gone and probably wouldn't return.

The two men worked mostly in silence together, only uttering words to check which parts of the tree were already fool-prove and which not yet. When they eventually climbed down again and packed everything that had been left behind up, Snotlout clapped his friend's shoulder.

"Thank you, Fish."

Fishlegs smiled. "Anytime, Snot, you know that."

Snotlout nodded and watched the first children emerge and play in the snow. The first snow-Viking was already standing and he gave one of the remaining shields to the little boy crafting it. After all, any real Viking needed a good shield, even one made of snow.

Snotlout was inclined to watch the children for a while longer. Just to allow himself a break after the hard work. The day wasn't even halfway over yet and he already felt like falling face-first into his bed and await Soggletog-eve.

But then a little explosion erupted near the docks and he winced, clenching his eyes shut.

"Pleas tell me that wasn't the twins," he muttered. "Please, please, please."

Fishlegs sighed. "Sorry, but that was definitely the twins. They are running for the woods now."

Snotlout groaned. "I'm gonna kill them. One day, I'll lose my patience and kill them. And I won't even be sorry for it."

"In the meantime, good luck with that," Fishlegs gestured for the docks.

"Great," Snotlout said. He stomped away see for the destruction, but then turned around once more. "Can you tell some of the construction-workers I need them at the docks? Would save me a lot of time."

Fishlegs gave him a thumbs-up. "On it."

The destruction from the explosion wasn't even nearly as bad as he'd feared, but it did take the rest of the day to get the docks back to how they were. The twins hadn't showed up again all day, probably hiding somewhere in the woods from Stoick's wrath that would surely come upon them once the chief heard of the incident. Snotlout already braced himself for the lecture he'd receive as well. He had been told to watch those mutton-heads and he hadn't. He was responsible for this and he knew it. But that didn't make the way to the chief's hall at nightfall any easier.

Snotlout heard the stone whetting Stoick's favourite axe before he even opened the door. Axe-whetting wasn't a good sign. Stoick's mood was likely already below his usual level of grumpiness. Snotlout swallowed.

"Evening, chief," he said as he entered the hall, lifting his chin in confidence that wouldn't fool a toddler and less so his uncle. But at least appearing confident on the outside gave himself the illusion that that was also the case for the inside. "The tree is all set, as you asked."

The chief didn't look up from his axe. Didn't respond either. His silence weighed heavy on Snotlout and despite the freezing cold blowing over the island, beads of sweat formed on his brow.

"I-I checked every shield. They won't fall down."

The whetstone gliding over the metal was the only response that met him.

"Fishlegs-Fishlegs helped me, though. A-A-And I trust him that he wouldn't let anyone get hurt." Snotlout wrung his hands. Stoick was probably waiting for him to bring up the incident with the twins, but he couldn't bring himself to point his mistake out himself.

"The, um, docks are also back in order, by the way." His voice faded. He should really mention his failing of keeping the twins in check. He should just say it and save himself the explosion that was to come without doubt. There was still a slight chance that Stoick didn't know the twins had made that explosion. Maybe — just this once — Snotlout could get let off the hook.

"The docks shouldnae've exploded in the first place," Stoick grit out, moving the whetstone more fiercely over the edge of the blade. The hairs on Snotlout's arms and neck stood up and his gut twisted.

"I-I know. But-But I brought them back in order! There wasn't that much damage and what little there was I and a few helpers were able to fix it. We even improved the stability of that part of the docks! There won't be any wobbling planks there for a while," Snotlout said, words tumbling over each other and his mouth couldn't form them as fast as he wanted to say them.

Please, dear Odin, please let it be enough. Just this once let it be enough for him.

With a loud thunk Stoick set down his axe and stood, towering over Snotlout by more than two heads. His face was the same colour as his flaming red beard, just lacking the streaks of grey. His eyes were narrowed to slits and yet again Snotlout was reminded of a Monstrous Nightmare aflame and out for the kill.

"The docks shouldnae have exploded! I told ye ta watch the twins! An' what do ye do? Leave them ta their own devices and let them blow up the docks! One thing, Snotlout! I asked ye ta do one simple thing! An' what do ye do? Ignore my orders!" Stoick brought his clenched fist down on the table, the rattle sending the plate seated on it flying and crashing to the floor.

Snotlout winced. "I-I'm sorry, chief." So much for hoping Stoick hadn't known about the twins. He looked at his feet, his shoulders curled inward. It wasn't possible for him to feel any smaller. "It-it won't happen again, I promise."

"For yer sake, I hope it doesnae, lad. Of all the irresponsible, insubordinate things ye've pulled over the years," Stoick raged on, "risking the village blowin' up one day before Snoggletog? I expect more o' ye, Snotlout! Ye're heir ta the throne! Start actin' like it!"

Snotlout clenched his fists, ready to give his uncle a piece of his mind. Just because he didn't have the twins under control didn't mean he was a complete failure at being the heir. And it wasn't like he even wanted that position anyway.

"Ye need ta finally take responsibility! When I was yer age, my father was almost ready ta pass down the mantle ta me. But ye? Ye have still such a long way ta go that I'm starting ta think I'll sooner die than see my retire—"

"I'm sorry!" Snotlout burst out. "I'm sorry for trying my best every godsdamned day! I'm sorry for trying to be the heir you want to have! But guess what? I'm not! I'm just the replacement and I'll never be good enough for you! Just as I've never been good enough for my father before you had to name me heir! Just as Hiccup never was for you until he got good in the Ring!"

"This is enough! Ye will not speak of my son—!"

"Admit it already! He was never good enough for you for just being him! And I'll never be good enough for you for just being me! Admit it! No one's ever good enough for you!"

His head whipped to the side as Stoick's palm collided with his cheek, the skin stinging and burning.

"I said enough," Stoick pressed out.

Snotlout refused to let the hurt, the humiliation show. He just raised his chin again and met his uncle's cold stare.

"He was my cousin, you know. He was my damn cousin. And believe it or not, but I don't want to be his replacement. If I could—"

"Stop, Snotlout. Stop right now." Stoick took a step back and — to Snotlout's surprise — the anger dissipated from him and anguish took over the chief's features.

Snotlout shook his head. "No. Just this once you'll have to listen to me. To what I have to say." He swallowed the emotions wobbling his voice. "If I could I'd turn back time and make sure he never went into the forest that day just so he'd still be here. I'd- I'd give everything I have to offer to the gods just so they'd send Hiccup back to us. But I can't." His voice broke. "So I deal with it. I deal with it every damn day that he isn't here anymore. Because believe it or not, but you are not the only one who misses him."

Stoick the Vasts looked more beaten down than Snotlout had seen him in a long time. He fell back into his chair and rubbed at his face. When he said nothing, Snotlout took it as a cue for him to continue.

"Every year from Snoggletog until his birthday you make my life hell, uncle. Every. Fucking. Year. And I'm sick of it. I'm sorry for the things I do wrong, but guess what? I'm not perfect. I couldn't control the twins if I tied them to a sea-stack. But I clean up after them. I try so fucking hard damn day to do everything you ask of me. And all I'm getting is hearing about where I went wrong. As if I didn't know about those things already! So, please. I know you miss Hiccup and— and especially this time of the year it's hard. But don't take it out on me."

Snotlout wrapped his arms around himself. Having said the words that had been swirling around his mind for years now was both relieving and terrifying at the same time. An empty void spread out in his gut and sent that same feeling all through his body until he was a foreigner in his own skin.

"I did it again, didnae I?" Stoick's voice was thick, the words strained. "It seems all I'm capable o' doin' is pushin' my family away. Treatin' them… badly."

"Maybe it would help already if you just considered the feelings of others," Snotlout said just over a whisper. If he spoke any louder, he feared his voice might break and the teas stinging his eyes might fall. "I know I can be pretty obnoxious when it comes to that, but you're sometimes just… plain ignorant." He found it in himself to take the few steps away from the door secure at his back and drop onto the chair opposite his uncle.

Because that was all Stoick the Vast was in that moment. Not the great warrior, not the mighty chieftain. Just his uncle, the man who had lost his only child. And he looked the part, too. Eyes distant, lost in another time. Shoulders sagged without the confidence keeping them up. Mouth pulled into a never-fading frown underneath that grey-streaked beard that was a dull reflection of the flames that used to dance in his hair only years ago.

"That doesnae change the fact tha' I'm— I'm repeatin' the same mistakes I did with…Hiccup, with ye, Snotlout. I'm doin' it all over again." Stoick rubbed his chin, then folded his hands in his lap. "Ye were right. I never held Hiccup ta the standard a father should hold his son. I wanted him ta be like everyone else so baldy tha' I forgot about all the things I already loved about him. Sometimes… Sometimes I wonder if he'd still be here if he hadnae felt the need ta prove himself in the Ring just ta please me. He told me he didnae want ta go after all and I still sent him. I didnae listen ta my son's wishes and I cannae help but feel like tha's what—what got him killed in the end. And I just-I just—"

"Yeah, guilting yourself sucks." Snotlout looked up to where Hiccup's room had been; still was since Stoick made sure that every time he had to rebuild his house after a dragon raid, Hiccup's loft would be rebuild as well. Snotlout wondered if — when going up there — the room would just be empty or filled with a bed, a desk and all of Hiccup's things like the boy would come home any minute now.

"When he first went missing, I wished I had been a better cousin. Heck, I still do. But I thought that had I just… been his friend, shown him how to defend himself instead of giving him a hard time… Maybe I would have gone with him, then. Into the woods. Maybe I would have been there to protect him when he-" Snotlout's voice broke. He had told this to just one person before. But never his uncle. "-when he…" He rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "But I can't change the past and the gods know that Hiccup was stubborn as a yak. And if he wanted to go alone into the woods that night, he would have done so no matter what we would have done."

"So, ye're saying it's his stubbornness tha' got him killed?" Stoick said.

Snotlout sniffed but cracked a grin. "It's what gets every good Viking killed."

Stoick huffed a laugh. "Aye, tha's right, lad. We're a stubborn people." He turned to Snotlout and, for the first time in many months, even years, there was no scowl on his face. "I… am sorry for how I've wronged ye, Snotlout. I should've spent more time showing ye how the job is done instead of scoldin' ye for yer mistakes."

"Eh, no one's perfect. Not even you, chief." Snotlout shrugged nonchalantly. "And I'll try to do better with the twins."

"Threatenin' them with an axe always seemed ta do the trick for Astrid. Ye should give it a try."

"So that's why they listened to her! She never wanted to tell me her methods."

Stoick laughed. "Well, they feared her axe more than their pranks were worth the trouble."

"Only a fool wouldn't fear her and her axe," Snotlout said and rubbed his arm. The scar there tingled every time someone mentioned Astrid's axe, in memory of that sharp blade cutting him for the obscenities he'd said to her in drunken stupor.

Snotlout got up and reached for the door. It was getting late and a warm dinner and his cosy bed were calling for him. But his uncle reached for his arm and held him back.

"Would ye— would ye like ta stay for dinner? Gobber's bringing yak-chops over and… it's refreshing to have some… more company." He didn't need to say 'younger company' for Snotlout to understand. He saw his uncles eyes flitting up to Hiccup's loft and that was explanation enough.

Snotlout nodded and sat back down. "Yak-chops sound good. Mom never makes them anymore since dad once said she overcooked them. I could've killed him for that. Now all we're getting is chicken and fish."

"Ah, yer mother… still unforgiving as ever."

They shared a laugh, but then fell silent. But it wasn't an awkward silence as it would have been just minutes ago when they had still been arguing.

Snotlout's thoughts drifted, blending together seamlessly, jumping from one topic to the next without him noticing the previous thought was lost. The fire cracked and one log fell away from the others, shrinking the flame. Stoick grunted and made to get up, but Snotlout was faster.

"I got it," he said and tended to the fire. It was the first task he did for Stoick since he had been named heir that didn't feel like a test. And if the gods had mercy on him this state would stay for a while.

Snotlout was no fool to believe that he'd never again argue with his uncle about his position as heir. But maybe they could lie the frustrations with each other down and for once work together instead of heading in opposite directions. Snotlout certainly hoped they could maintain the peace with each other they had just made.

~o~o~

Snoggletog morning dawned and Astrid awoke to warm puffs of air hitting her neck. She smiled at the familiarity of waking up in her husbands arms. She couldn't believe it had already been almost three months since the wedding, since her life had turned upside down.

Astrid laced her fingers through Hiccup's resting on her stomach, brought his calloused hand to her face and kissed his palm. He mumbled something in his sleep and nuzzled her neck, but otherwise didn't stir more. He wouldn't be up for some time, until the sun crept up far enough in the sky to illuminate their bedroom in the faint light of morning. But Astrid couldn't wait that long, not on a holiday like this.

She peeled his arms off her and slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him. On her way to the door, she grabbed the tunic Hiccup had worn the day before and pulled it over her head. It was too big for her and reached her mid-thighs, fitting her like a short, baggy dress. But his tunics were her favourite thing to wear for staying in the privacy of their chambers. And it smelled like him — like the forest on a sweaty day.

Astrid padded to the office room of their chambers. Behind the books on the shelf at the far wall, she had stored a little package, hoping neither her husband nor the cleaning-busy maids would find it.

She unwrapped the linen secured around it and held the miniature replica of Toothless in her hand. It wasn't much bigger than her palm and the wood had beautifully darkened thanks to a varnish, just as she had hoped it would. The little figurine had taken her longer to make without Hiccup noticing than she had initially anticipated, but the finished product was worth all the trouble it had cost her.

With the little figurine in hand, Astrid sneaked back into their bedroom. Hiccup hadn't moved an inch.

They hadn't talked about how they wanted to celebrate the holiday, but it had been an unspoken agreement to spend the day together and exchange gifts. Astrid had more than once found Hiccup mulling over something and when she had wanted to sneak a look at it, he had hidden it from her.

"You don't get to see it yet," he had said. "It's for later."

"Later, huh?"

"Later." He had grinned and pecked her cheek, successfully distracting her from whatever he had been working on.

So she had used the time Hiccup had been working on whatever she wasn't to see yet to work on her gift for him and hoped he would like it.

Astrid placed the Toothless-figurine on the nightstand beside Hiccup's side of the bed and climbed back in next to him. To her surprise, when she cuddled up to him, wiggling into the comfort of his arms, he gave a little grunt.

"Where've you gone?" He mumbled, his nose buried in her hair, and tugged her in closer as a yawn escaped him.

Astrid turned in his arms and kissed the arch of his collarbone. "Just checked up on something."

He hummed,pressed his lips to her forehead and kissed his way over her face, leaving little pecks on her nose, her cheeks, until he reached her lips. Astrid smiled into the kiss, enjoying the sleepy slowness of it. When Hiccup drew away again, his eyes were still half-lidded.

"Happy Snoggletog, Milady," he breathed into the space between them.

"Happy Snoggletog to you, too." The corners of her mouth tugged upward more and the giddiness that befell her every year during the holiday awakened again. She wanted to point Hiccup to where his present waited for him, but refrained from it. It was supposed to be a surprise and she couldn't wait to see him discover the figurine of his beloved dragon-companion.

Hiccup snorted. "You're the most excitable person when it comes to holidays."

"What's wrong with loving holidays?"

"Nothing." He rested his forehead against hers. "I think it's cute." He reached behind him to his nightstand and his brows furrowed when his hand landed on the figurine. "What-?"  
He rubbed his eyes and looked at it.

First there was confusion on his face and she could see his mind working on how it had gotten there. Then his eyes widened and he gasped.

"That's Toothless!"

Astrid huffed, though in good humour. "Did it really take you that long to figure it out? Are my carving skills that bad?"

He just wordlessly shook his head and turned the figurine in his hand. The spark in his eyes told her enough.

Astrid had carved it mostly from memory. The main idea had struck her when dragon and rider had fallen asleep in the crater and she had wanted to capture the moment of the mighty beast tame as a kitten. So she had. The details she had to do later and over longer time, always careful to not let Hiccup see her little project. And from what she saw playing out on her husbands face she had done a good job at it all.

"It's beautiful. When-?"

"Whenever you were busy enough not to notice."

Hiccup took her hand and pulled it to his chest. Right over his heart, he interlaced their fingers. His eyes were crinkled and bright. "Thank you."

Astrid grinned. "That's what Snoggletog is for, babe."

"Ah, well in that case…" He again reached for his nightstand. Or rather, for the little package wrapped in colourful linens atop it. He had placed it there a few days ago. And when she had tried to peek between the wrappings, she had found it was wrapped in more layers than she had anticipated for a quick glace and Hiccup had called another "later, Milady" to her.

Hiccup gave her the bundle and mentioned for her to unwrap it. Astrid worked through the layers one by one until there were linen-straps of all colours lying around her on the bed. She was careful with handling whatever Hiccup had so meticulously hidden underneath all colours of the rainbow. The last strap fell away and she gasped.

She was holding a small box with carvings on the sides in her hands; it took her breath away. A key on thin leather-strap atop it.

Astrid ran a finger over the delicate designs. Plates of metal had been worked into the wood, making it look like a silver painting in a dark frame. The carvings were landmarks. The outline of the Meade Hall overlooking a tiny village. A quiet pond in a cove. The Kill Ring. The twin warriors overlooking the sea. A willow tree at th back of the small chest.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she took in all the little details that had been added into the metal. She took a shaky breath. "It's Berk," she breathed. "It's… home. You- I-" Astrid rubbed away the tears on her skin, but more followed them so she let them.

"You haven't opened it yet," Hiccup said and caught another tear with his thumb, stroking her cheek. "The umm… chest itself is the present, but you should still open it."

Astrid sniffed and nodded. She put the key into the lock and the mechanism inside sprang open with a soft click.

Her mother's pendant lay inside. The one she hadn't worn since their wedding even though she had promised herself to wear it every day since her mother's death.

"I noticed you haven't worn it in a while, but you always put it somewhere safe. I just thought you might want to have a proper place to keep it." When she looked at him he gave her his most adorable crooked smile and rubbed his neck. "The idea for the carvings came later."

Astrid closed the lid and held the chest tightly. "Thank you. It's perfect." She reached over and kissed him soundly. And then kissed him again, their presents for each other locked in the little space between them.

Hiccup pulled her into his lap and she rested her head on his shoulder, hugging him tightly.

Astrid breathed in his scent. He had given her a piece of home — even if it was just as much a replica as her present for him. Unintentionally, they had both given each other a reminder of something they loved but missed. Hiccup couldn't go see Toothless as much as he wished; he would be delighted whenever they managed to sneak away into the crater.

And she… She had left Berk over a year ago. And she still missed that wet little rock in the ocean every day. How Hiccup had been able to memorise Berk's landmarks this accurately, was beyond her, but the carvings were coming to life on the metal. Like she could walk right into the scene and be back home.

"Why the Kill Ring?" Astrid asked. She admired again the craftsmanship he had put into not only the carvings, but also the mechanism of the lock. She had never seen such intricate work of springs and bolts and tiny toothed wheels turning against each other before. It was incredible. "I thought you hated it there."

She felt him shrug more than she saw him. "I also put the willow tree and I hated it there, too. But we made memories there."

Astrid grinned. "You mean me yelling at your lazy ass or holding you at axe-point?"

"Ooh yeah, those were the best ones," he deadpanned. He dropped a kiss to her hair. "No, from before we started dragon training. Remember how we once snuck in there when we were what? Eight?"

"We tried to be like the big kids and see if we could battle one of the dragons there. Your father caught us just in time or we would have been dead."

"I wasn't allowed near any dragon again after that for quite a while. That's when he thought I was better off in the forge getting on Gobber's nerves than out there possibly getting myself killed from stupidity."

Astrid laughed. "Not like you cared, though."

"Nope. You still managed to drag me to that Terrible Terror nest a few days later. I think I may still have scars from that one." Hiccup turned his arm to the side, exposing the faint marks there. Where an angry Terror had bit him.

Astrid pointed to the marks on her shoulder where another one had sunk its teeth into her. "It's only fun if you get a scar out of it."

Hiccup snorted. "I still don't agree with your definition of 'fun', Milady."

"Oh? Just last night you seemed to agree wholeheartedly, babe." She smirked up at him and he narrowed his eyes at her in humour.

Hiccup gave her behind a squeeze and then rested his hand on her thigh, drawing idle circles into her skin. "That was a different kind of fun."

They fell silent, cuddled up underneath the heavy blanket and just enjoying each other's company. Occasionally, their lips would meet in short, sweet kisses. Her heart would flutter every time and she swore his underneath her hand did the same. She leaned further into their embrace, her head tucked underneath his chin.

They had placed their gifts on the night stand at some point and she couldn't take her eyes off her husbands creation.

Other women would have scoffed at a simple thing such as a little chest, but it was the deeper meaning he had put behind every inch of the item that touched her heart.

Astrid thought back to Heather's statement a few weeks ago. You love him, the other girl had said as if she was stating the weather. Then, Astrid had been hesitant about it. Now, though, if she were asked again, she didn't think she would deny it again.

Astrid tried to picture herself in a few years. Everything was unsure about her future; whether she would still be in Greuelorm or back on Berk she couldn't tell. Living at Bludvist manor had turned her life around and blended away the future she had always known awaited her. Now, she was only certain of one thing.

She didn't want to be without Hiccup again. They had drifted apart as kids and things had gone bad; he, the village-screw-up, and she, the girl with anger management problems. He had left and things had gotten even worse; she, taking responsibilities that weren't hers, and he, living with a madman. But now that they had found back together, at least a few things had gotten brighter again.

Hiccup had taken to holding her up in ways she didn't even know she needed. He grounded her while also encouraging her more playful side she sometimes tended to forget existed. He had shown her a new wolds that had quickly become a part of herself and she couldn't imagine it ever being different again.

"Hiccup?"

"Hmm?" He caressed her back.

"Where do you see yourself in… say, three years?" She knew that she wanted to be at his side and that he probably felt similarly. But she needed to hear him say it.

Hiccup hummed against her hair. "I don't know. But hopefully out of this gods-forsaken town. I want to show you the Sanctuary one day. Once we're out of here we could go there for a while. It's nice there."

"I thought that far up north it's cold as Hel? How's that nice?"

"You need to see it to understand. But I'm sure you'd like it."

"So in three years you see us living the feral life in the eternal ice?"

"No. I see us just going wherever we want to go, without a care in the world and without some madman controlling our life." Hiccup rolled them over onto their sides and looked at her with adoration in his eyes. He cupped her cheek. "Actually, I don't care where I'll be in three years time as long as you're there with me and as long as we're safe."

Her heart stopped for a beat and she smiled. "What about Toothless?"

Hiccup kissed the tip of her nose and she wrinkled it. "He's also there. We do need a way to go where ever we want to. And Stormfly can come as well."

"How generous of you." She poked his chest, making him squirm. He caught her hand, kissed it and held it over his heart again. Astrid giggled.

He could be such a dork sometimes. But she loved him anyway.

The thought brought a light blush to her face and she couldn't stop herself from smiling until Hiccup lowered his head and kissed her; then, her lips had other things to do.

"What about you?", he mumbled against her lips. "Where do you see yourself in three years?"

"In three years? Right here." Astrid pressed a lingering kiss to his lips, but eventually had to draw away to breathe. "With you."

Hiccup gazed at her for a long moment without saying anything and she was reminded of a young boy staring at her awestruck from his window at the forge. He broke the spell by laughing and kissing her forehead.

"Gods, we're cheesy," he said.

Astrid snorted. "It's Snoggletog. You're supposed to be cheesy on Snoggletog." She laughed with him, but quickly sobered as another hope she wanted to share with him came up.

"I want to be back on Berk," she said and Hiccup sobered up as well. "Maybe we won't get there within three years, but…When we get away from here and back home-"

"If we can get away from here and go home," Hiccup whispered.

"When. When we get back home, babe, I want a real wedding."

Hiccup looked at her startled and chuckled. "What, you think what we did wasn't real? And here I was thinking you were actually my wife. But a guy can dream, right?"

She lightly hit his shoulder. "Dork. That's not what I meant. I just… I want to have a real viking wedding. Like it's done at home. Not… whatever the Hel they call a wedding around here. I want a Viking wedding-ceremony with a celebration afterwards most won't remember which is why they will remember."

"I'll put it on our bucket list," Hiccup said and wrapped her into his arms. She felt him smile against her neck.

~o~o~

A small snow-storm had set in the day after Snoggletog. Drago had gone on his trip as he had announced two days prior during dinner. Hiccup had been relieved not having to deal with his stepfather for the holiday time; the man managed to somehow ruin every happy time in one way or the other.

Hiccup wouldn't mind if he got stuck somewhere in the storm. Maybe - if they were lucky — he'd never come back. But those were lost hopes probably.

His mother had told him that Drago had initially planned for him to tag along on this trip to the Southern Markets. Hiccup couldn't have been more grateful that his mother had been able to talk him out of it. He wasn't sure he would have survived another of those trips with his stepfather this soon again. His nightmares from the last one had finally stopped just a week ago.

He wasn't a fool to think that he would never again have to accompany Drago on his trips. But the break was a blessing and he had thanked each and every god — familiar and foreign — for sparring him this one time. Once Drago was back, winter would be in full force and he usually never planned journeys during the coldest months. So until the ice thawed again, Hiccup would be safe from Drago's 'business trips'.

The snow storm, though, raged for a two days. Locking them inside when Astrid and he had planned to have a little holiday meet-up with Eret and Heather. Heather — who also came from the Barbaric Archipelago, though from which island she had never said — adored the holiday. And Eret preferred the celebrations of Snoggletog and the merry gatherings it brought over the rather dreadful and solemn holiday Greuelorm had made of their local holiday — Yule. Hiccup had heard of other cities where the Yule was celebrated almost similarly to Snoggletog, but lasted longer — twelve days with nightly burnings of log to honour Thor and most strew the ashes into fields every night to fertilise while others kept them as charms or medicine. But Greuelorm spend days on end praying to forgive sins and cast the town in dark colour. Almost as though they were mourning something. Hiccup had never bothered to ask those practising those traditions and liked to keep his distance whenever the macabre holiday garb was pulled out on winter solstice.

The storm had let up last night left the world covered in new fluffy snow. But the streets to and from the city were blocked. It wouldn't be until tomorrow that his friends would manage to come over for their little gathering.

Hiccup didn't mind the indoors that much. At least he was warm and comfortable then. But he did miss the opportunity to visit Toothless. He always liked to spend the day after Snoggletog with his dragon companion.

He had offered the men working on the streets his help, but they had refused, saying he shouldn't worry and go back inside. One of them had even said that as the son of Drago he shouldn't be doing lowly work like this, they were fine. So after persisting a bit more and still being refused a shovel, he had gone back inside, bored out of his mind.

Astrid was sitting on the couch in front of the fire in their living room, bend over a book in her lap and scribbling something on a sheet of paper to her side.

Hiccup kicked off his boots and put his coat back on its hanger. He shuffled over to his wife and unceremoniously plopped down beside her, his legs hanging off one end of the couch and his head falling down onto her lap. He was glad she wasn't wearing her spiked skirt or he would have injured himself. With a groan, he buried his face against her stomach.

"Alright. What did the world do to you this time?", Astrid asked and pulled her book out from underneath him.

"Nothing," he mumbled into her tunic.

"If it were nothing you wouldn't keep me from studying, babe." She tapped something on his head which he supposed was her pencil.

"But that's just it. The world did nothing to me. Nothing." He looked up into her unimpressed face. "I'm bored out of my damn mind."

Astrid blinked at him, then planted her book on her knees and scribbled something on the paper beside her. "Don't worry, you'll survive."

"No. I'm pretty sure I won't. I'll die out of boredom because of this stupid storm and all the stupid snow on the streets."

"If you make me a widow by dying of boredom I'll kick your ass out of Valhalla myself. And now let me get through this page."

Hiccup let her. Her dedication to learning the local language was admirable. He would find her sitting with her books somewhere and taking notes of words she didn't know yet to learn whenever she found a peaceful moment. He had seen her frustration at not being able to communicate with a lot of people on her own which made her dependent on others whenever she went into town. And Hiccup knew how much she loved being independent. Being held back by language-barriers was nothing she could stand for too long. So he had gotten her a dictionary and a few simple books out of the library and taught her the letter-system that was so very different to their Norse runes.

Astrid finished the page she was working on and put her things onto the little table. "Alright, get up."

"Why?" He was rather comfortable lying just like this.

"Because we're going out."

"The streets are still closed. And it's cold."

"Let me rephrase. We're going for a ride." She poked his forehead. "Now get up and put on your boots."

"But—"

"No buts. I thought you wanted to see your dragon." She pushed him off her lap and strode for their bedroom. The armoire's doors creaked open and he heard her shuffling into warmer clothes. He was still lying on the couch when she emerged again. "What are you waiting for? Get up."

"If the streets are blocked then so is the entrance to the crater."

"Then we'll take shovels with us and dig it free again."

"But—"

"Hiccup. I'm not gonna endure you moping around one more second. So either get your butt up and come to the crater with me, or stay there and I'll go down to the library and keep studying. Your choice. But make it now."

He got up with a groan. "You could have told me that ten minutes ago. I wouldn't have gotten so comfortable lying there."

"That's not my problem." She passed his coat to him and slipped into her own one, the hood framing her face in white pelt. With the matching boots she reminded him of a snow-bunny, but he would never tell her that; she would just punch his shoulder not talk to him for the next hour.

The ride to the mountains took them just a bit longer than usually with all the snow the storm had left behind covering the paths, but the horse were used to rough conditions to tread on and mastered the short trip without a problem. They left them sheltered in a grove of pine-trees near the foot of the mountain and — as usual — made the last leg of the trek on foot through the white mass that left their thick boots soaked through to their toes. But having grown up on Berk where it snows nine months of the year, and hails the other three, Hiccup was more than used to not having warm feet outside and judging from the lack of annoyance on Astrid's face, he was sure she also was not really bothered by it. It was just another hazard that they had had to learn to accept as kids.

The entrance to the crater was indeed clogged up with bouts of snow. But it didn't take them all that long to shovel it away. Hiccup struggled to get his last Snoggletog present through the gap between the boulders, but eventually, even the last frozen clumps of snow surrendered and he could push his package through.

"What even is that?", Astrid asked.

"Something for Toothless. You'll see once we're down."

"You do know that Toothless is a dragon and probably doesn't understand the concept of Snoggletog and exchanging gifts, right? I doubt he'll have something ready for you, babe."

"Oh, yeah right because I actually thought he'd go and make or buy me something, wrap it up prettily with a bow on top and maybe even stand up to sing some Snoggletog carols. Next thing we know, some fairy-godmother will come over and tell us he's actually a human cursed into the body of a dragon and will turn him back. And his real name is Fafnir Hellmundson."

Astrid gave him a pointed look. "Fafnir? Really? The mythical dragon? You are making up some fake name for a human Toothless and the first thing you think of is Fafnir? You can do better than that."

They descended the path and made their way through the crater to the clearing they usually found Toothless at. The stream running across the crater had frozen over and the snow in here, in the mountains, lay higher than in the flatlands, but still didn't go higher than their calves.

Astrid had her hands stuffed into the fur-lined pockets of her coat, shoulders drawn up and nose hidden underneath the collar to keep the cold away. Hiccup silently envied her, but with him carrying the gift for Toothless, he couldn't shelter himself that much from the occasional icy gusts of wind biting into his face.

The snow's perfect surface was only sporadically broken in. Lines of paw-prints waved through the bare skeletons of the trees, going to-and-fro and forming crossroads. Most of them were from Toothless — Hiccup could discern his dragon's prints from a thousand others without a problem. Toothless loved ploughing through the snow and playing with the white mass. The first time Hiccup had seen him jump into a pile of snow with the glee of a little child, he hadn't been able to believe his eyes despite knowing that the intimidating Night Fury was more of a playful mix of cat and dog than a mindless killing machine and had nothing at all of the ruthless beast he was often painted as.

The nearer they drew to the clearing near the cavern in the side of the crater, the more noises of said dragon sounded through the little winter-wonderland within the crater's confined space. An excited roar bounced off the mountains and a little cacophony of squawks answered. Astrid raised her nose out of her pelt-coat and raised an eyebrow.

"I would say Nadder, but that…"

Hiccup grinned. He hadn't told her about the dragon's hatching-season falling onto their beloved holiday-time, yet. He had figured that Stormfly — who had visited them two more times this winter — would proudly show off her hatchlings to Astrid.

The two of them had bonded quickly, and the last time Astrid had seen the Nadder off, she had told him that she wanted to give flying on her own dragon a try. He had the design for a saddle done by evening the same day; now he only needed Stormfly's measurements.

Hiccup whistled through the gap in his teeth; a sharp tone that was sure to get the attention of however many dragons were currently occupying the crater. The thumps of quickly approaching dragons was muffled by the soft layers of snow on the frozen ground, but one or two trees giving way to impatient haste gave them away.

Toothless bounded over to them just as they reached the clearing. He almost ran into them, but at the last second swerved and instead circled around them, tongue lolling out and tail swinging excitedly up and down. Hiccup laughed and followed his dragon with his eyes.

"Hey, bud!" Toothless skidded to a halt and tugged his scaly head underneath his hand. Hiccup complied the scratched the dragon demanded. "Happy Snoggletog." Toothless almost immediately went on over to Astrid and demanded the same treatment from her.

"Hey, Toothless," she said with a laugh.

Hiccup let the package sink to the floor. There was no point in carrying it any further. If it fit and worked, it would stay on, and if not, he'd take it back for correction.

A few squawks filled the air again, croaked and inexperienced in producing the sound. A much more harmonious trill followed them. Stormfly came out of the line of trees and — upon laying eyes on Astrid — flapped her wings and hurried her pace a tad. The tiny squawks came from atop her back.

"Hello, girl!" Astrid exclaimed and hugged the Nadder's beak. "You're back! I thought you wouldn't be for a while yet."

Stormfly lowered herself to the ground and a handful of small balls slid down her wing into the snow. Hiccup couldn't contain his joy. Dragon babies were always a little wonder to behold. In the sanctuary he had seen them hatch out of their eggs and the way they had exploded into the world was a memory still vividly in his mind. No other animal species entered the world with such vigour and boom.

"Astrid?"

She still had her face pressed to Stormfly and hadn't noticed the tiny dragons at her feet yet.

"Hm?"

"Your boots." A purple hatchling was watching the white fur of her boots with intent and was already lowering its small body to pounce.

"What about my boo— aaaaaawwww!" Astrid let out a high pitched coo and bent down to the baby dragon. "Oh my Thor! Stormfly, you have babies!"

Watching Astrid interact with the hatchlings made his heart beat faster. She was cooing over them and within seconds she had one cradled in her arms and another one trying to climb up her legs. The Nadder babies were still tripping over their feet a little and Stormfly held them up with her beak whenever on toppled over.

Toothless was not all that enamoured by the babies, but he also didn't push away the two little ones currently perched on his back.

Hiccup almost couldn't take his eyes off the scene in front of him that drew smile after smile onto his face. Astrid was so tender and careful with the hatchlings and didn't shy away when their little horns and spikes poked her.

"Gods, they are so adorable," she said and plucked the piece of pelt-coat the purple hatchling was gnawing on out of its beak. "I don't think I've ever seen dragons this young."

Hiccup picked one up himself and stroked its soft scales. They were already a bit bigger than their hatching-size, but still tiny compared to their proud mother. The colouring of the one he held was a vibrant teal with red pecks. He had learnt from his mother that a dullness to the scales' colouring could indicate illness. But all of them seemed perfectly healthy to him. They would have to be, since dragons only left their hatching-grounds when he little ones were strong enough to fly on their own.

"That's because they raising their young ones on a separate island. I'm honestly a bit surprised myself that Stormfly took them here already. Usually when they leave, they are a little bigger and surer on their feet."

Astrid worried her teeth over her lip. "Is it bad that they didn't stay longer?"

He shook his head. "No. Stormfly wouldn't take them away from there if she wasn't certain that they are ready."

He placed the hatchling back on the ground and it immediately staggered through the snow to its siblings.

The wind picked up again and whirled the snow up and into the air. The midday sun was high in the sky, but its warmth was swallowed by the icy cold of winter, leaving just the memory of skin tingled by its rays behind.

"Alright," Astrid set the hatchling in her arms back down as well and rubbed her hands together. "As much fun as this is, I'm freezing."

A gust of wind sent shivers down his spine as if to underline his wife's words. "I stored some dry logs in the cavern. We can make fire there."

"Great. Let's go." Astrid started towards the cavern, the hatchlings following her at the heel. She cooed over them all the way to the cavern and Hiccup followed her with a dopey grin stretching his lips. There was just something about watching her interact with such small creatures that let his heart soar and his fantasy about what could be in the future thrive.

Hiccup had never really given having children much thought. It had always been something he tended to push aside, painting it as something he would worry about in the future; the distant future. The first time he had really allowed himself to think about whether he even wanted to have children some day was when Astrid had brought the subject up shortly before the wedding. And he had found that yes, one day he wanted to. Once he and Astrid were out of Greuelorm and Drago's clutches, living a life of their own making, he wanted to have children.

And now — seeing Astrid with dragon babies — it was easy to imagine her with their own little one cradled in her arms. He just had the feeling that she would make a great mother.

As he gazed at her in wonder and admiration, three little words came to his mind that he wasn't yet ready to say aloud. But he allowed himself to think them with a dopey smile on his face and his heart beating just a little stronger.

Toothless nudged his back with his snout and Hiccup snapped out of the daze he had been in. The package with Toothless' Snoggletog present was slowly slipping out of his grasp and he rather ungracefully pulled it back up.

The supply of firewood he always kept inside the little cavern wasn't as big as he would have wished, but it would last them a couple of hours. He made a mental note to have Toothless or Stormfly drag one of the leafless trees into the cavern to restock the supply. He didn't want to be low on it should there be an immediate need for it it in the future. One could never know.

Astrid warmed her hands at the growing fire cracking the logs. Stormfly had settled down behind her and the hatchlings were at her feet. Between the colourful dragons, she stood out with her white pelts. Like she was truly a Valkyrie that came to Midgard with Deadly Nadders accompanying her like the loyal beasts they were. To make the picture perfect, she would need to actually soar through the skies on Stormfly. And with her axe strapped to her back, she would bring the bravest warrior to his knees with her fierce beauty and intimidating skill in combat.

Hiccup settled down as well and pulled at the strings holding the package together. Toothless immediately snuffled the fabric with big eyes.

"So we're finally gonna see what you have there?" Astrid pried over his shoulder and he chuckled.

"It's really not that exciting." He pried the fabric off the contraption underneath and told Toothless to turn around and stay still. "Every year around Snoggletog I've given Toothless a new prosthesis," he explained while straightening the new one in his hands to Toothless' tail. The dragon watched him with curiosity, but he knew the procedure and didn't flit about; although Hiccup could tell by the shuffling of his wings that Toothless was impatient to test his new fin out.

"The first year, I was merely able to replace the leather with a new sturdier one I found on the Northern Markets. The one after, I was already here and Kerrith had lent me the forge for a few nights to work on my own projects after helping him out during the day. I build Toothless one which he would be able to mostly operate himself without my help." Hiccup fastened the first straps that held the new tail-fin in place, careful not to rub too much against the tender scar-tissue. "But that stubborn dragon apparently didn't want to be able to fly on his own and was close to completely wreaking that thing." He smiled at the memory. Toothless had first tried it out a few days, happily flying about the crater but never beyond without him being there. And then, when he came back a few days later, Toothless had pulled out his old tail-fin out of the cavern and hit the new one against the ground over and over until Hiccup had agreed to put the old one back on. He had had tears streaming down his face the entire time; not from his work being destroyed, but from the love and trust Toothless had showed him that day. That moment was the first time Hiccup had truly understood just how deep their bond ran.

"We made a deal that I'd keep the automate fin just in case. And, well, for the years ever since, I always worked on improving the tail and saddle to be more comfortable, work better and faster, and feel more natural to him. Lighter in weight and not chafing his skin."

Hiccup connected the tail to the saddle, switching the old ropes and cables with newer ones, and fastened a new pedal to the saddle. He climbed over Toothless and did the same on his other side. So far, the fit of the new tail was near perfect.

"This year, though, I've combined the designs into a half-automated one. I just need to lock a lever and Toothless is able to have the artificial fin mirror his own one. I unlock the lever and I have full control again."

Astrid ran her hand over the tail-fin and the hidden mechanisms inside in the rods and leather linings. "This," she said, "is amazing. How did you even come up with this?"

Hiccup shrugged and sat back on his legs. "Don't know. I just… think of how I want it to work and then come up with how to make it work. Most of it's trial and error, thought, to be honest."

Toothless snuffled the new prosthesis now attached to him and gave his tail a wiggle. He opened and closed his fin and the prosthesis did the same. Toothless narrowed his eyes and let out a little growl.

"No, Toothless. You're not wreaking that one," Hiccup said and pulled the lever to lock the artificial fin into manual-mode. I ceased mirroring the original one and he operated it with the pedals. Toothless' ear-flaps went up and he tilted his head.

"See, bud? It's like the old one. Just a little better and should be more comfortable."

Toothless cooed and lolled his tongue out of his mouth, wagging his tail like a happy dog. His wings twitched, but the dragon knew better than to try and extend them in the confined space of the cavern.

"You wanna go try it out, bud?"

Toothless immediately shuffled out into the open and dragged Hiccup with him.

The little Nadder hatchlings wanted to follow them, but Stormfly gave a trill and they hurried back to her side. The wind was too rough for them to master, yet. Astrid came out behind them, the masked helmet of his still mostly unfinished flight-suit in hand.

"You two go try it out. I'll stay here with Stormfly and the hatchlings. I don't feel like having my face freeze off up there right now." She grinned and handed him the helmet when he had climbed into Toothless' saddle.

"Alright. We won't be long."

Hiccup leaned down and sweetly pecked her lips before she stepped back into the warmth of the cavern and they were airborne.

 **A/N:**

Alrighty, sooo….. An update a month seems pretty damn doable again since I've really gotten back into the habit of writing a little almost every day. I've been prepping for NaNoWriMo (whoever is also participating, raise your hands and add me on the NaNo website so we can all be writing-buddies :D I'm Mrilish there ^^) and I haven't reached a consistend 1,6k a day, but I'm getting there! Hopefully… :D

Soooo… Snotlout… I've cried while writing his part… please tell me I'm not all alone with them feels!

Also,… I'm not saying much underneath this chapter otherwise I'll accidentally spoil you and who'd want that?! Sooo… someone asked a question! Yey^^

Jimmix : You said something about not really getting Drago yet, which… is kinda intentional so I'm sorry, but I can't tell you more about him and his reasoning than that you maybe should go back and search for hints and clues in the chapters because that's all I'm willing to share about his persona right now. But I promise you'll get your answers! EVERYTHING WILL MAKE SENSE WITH TIME, JUST HOLD ON A LITTLE WHILE LONGER!

Oh and: thewatchingeye: OMG jemand der meine Muttersprache spricht! Ich war erstmal voll verwirrt als ich deinen Komi gelesen hab; hat eine Weile gedauert bis ich umgeswitcht bin auf Deutsch :D (und glaub mir wenn ich sage, dass es mich ganze 5 anläufe gebraucht hat das hier nicht halb auf englisch zu schreiben xD )

Furtheron: Ya'll screamed for 12k chaps so you're getting them (even though this right here is over 13k content wise without the A/N) and personally, I fell like that's also my comfort-zone for chapter lenght by now so I don't feel cramped but it also doesn't float over with unneccessary stuff (like seriously, the amount of scenes I cut because they… just add nothing to the story at all or even just character-developement… it's sad seeing them go, but they are wasted time to write out completely)

Alrighty, I wanna thank all you lovelies (as always) who reviewed! You're so kind and sweet and I'm getting cramps in my cheeks from smiling whenever I read all the nice things you put in the review-box!  
You are the cutest bunch of people and I couldn't wish for more awesome readers, really! Go and give yourselfs a few cookies for being nice since I can't give them to you (honestly, where is that nerd to invent direct-through-screen-cookie-deliveries? I'm waiting!) We also reached over 200 follows and I'm just shooketh! And over 120 faves? I'm in tears. Literally. I'm a emotional puddle on my floor right now! Ya'll rock!

Alrighty! I'll go write some more words. Enjoy the autumn, catch some ghosts, prepare for Halloween! Until the next one!


	17. Market Days to Scheme

The hardest part of winter had come and gone without much happening. Now, the snow was slowly melting and made way for the colours of the new season. Spring was still a few weeks away, but the ocean wasn't frozen over anymore and once again, the ports were filled with boats of travellers and traders. Life was coming back into the streets and Astrid enjoyed the warm sun shining on her face more often again. It was good to be outside again without having to worry about frost-bite on your toes.

"What do you think? Should I buy the green one or the purple one?" Heather held up the two tunics in question. "I mean I could just get both, but my closet is already flowing over with stuff."

"The green one. Compliments your eyes. And you could get the skirt from the other booth to go with it."

"Good. But then you need to get that red dress you were ogling earlier."

"I already have a red dress, Heath. I don't need that one, even if its pretty."

Heather snorted. "Girl, it's not about needing it; it's about spending money and having the latest fashion. And your wedding gown doesn't count as a usual dress. So stop arguing and go get it so we can go to the seamstresses."

Astrid complied with a sigh and plucked out a few coins from her pouch. She hadn't planned on buying anything for herself when she had agreed to accompany Heather to the markets. But the other woman always found excuses for her to buy things she actually didn't need. Even after months, she still wasn't used to having so much money at her disposal that she could buy herself a whole new wardrobe without having to worry about budgeting.

The merchant packed the item of clothing for her in a linen-bag. The fourth one she would be carrying home.

Heather caught up to her again and linked their arms. It was easy getting lost in the crowd that had gathered for the first big market of the new year.

"Remind me again why we need to go to the seamstresses? If you wanted to have fitted clothes you could have just ordered straight from them." Astrid eyed her friend from the side. Over the winter, the two had grown close, often spending time when Hiccup and Eret were out and causing trouble. It was good to have someone to talk to who wasn't her husband or her mother-in-law.

"Because we want to have the latest fashion. Not the one from three months ago. That's so last year."

"Literally."

Heather grinned. "The merchants come with new designs from all over the world and what the other women will do is buy them, get them fitted and be done with it. What we will do, though, is get them changed and fitted. And from the changes we can order more stuff."

"Gods, back home I never had to worry about such stuff. Do the women around here not talk about other things than who wears what?"

"No. And that's why we'll have our fun making them jealous."

Astrid groaned. It wasn't that she didn't like beautiful clothes to wear, but not all the time. She still preferred practicality over trends. But Valka was hosting a dinner party to celebrate the ending of winter and as the second lady of the house, Astrid was supposed to play co-hostess. And as such, Heather had decided to dress her in the finest she could sniff up.

"And besides. That dress? It'll drive Horren crazy. He won't be able to keep his hands off you all night." Heather winked and Astrid blushed. They still hadn't told Heather about Hiccup's true identity.

"Alright, alright. I'll let you have your fun redesigning my wardrobe. But if I'll end up walking around with my cleavage exposed to everyone, I'll come after you with my axe." Astrid jabbed her finger threateningly in Heather's direction, but her friend just threw her head back and laughed.

"Just you wait, girl. You'll thank me once I'm done."

They navigated through the market easily and picked up a few more little things they found on their way. Vendors were shouting their prices from all sides and the constant chatting of the market-goers kept a busy mix of noise over the streets.

When they were nearing the edge of the market place, a familiar voice caught Astrid's ear and she tugged Heather to a stop.

"Ink from the deepest depth of the seas, wrangled from beastly squids the size of houses by the hands of brave warriors! Silks from the land where the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, spun so fine it flows like water through the hands! The sharpest blades forged by the finest blacksmiths in the Near East from the truest of Damascus steel; never to break or bend or dull!"

"What is it? You wanna get your hands on some of that Damascus steel?"

Astrid shook her head and tried to locate the vendor. "No, I just thought…"

Set up underneath a purple tent with pretentious patterns swirling about the fabric, Trader Johann had set up his booth and was announcing his goods.

"Johann?" Astrid went to his booth. She hadn't seen the colourful merchant with the tendency to elongated stories in a long time. Her mother had still been alive then; sick, but alive.

"Miss Astrid! Lovely seeing you here on this fine day. Though, I did not expect to find you here. I've known for a while that your father picked up the trading business as well — actually I met him a few days of travel down south a couple of months ago, asked me to deliver a message back home for him — , but that he'd go into these waters is a surprise."

"Yeah, we've… been travelling around the archipelago for some time. Exploring the outer borders and beyond. But, I actually haven't seen him in… a while."

The trader raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"He's had… a bit of a gambling problem." Astrid waved it off and leaned forward a bit, lowering her voice. "How's Berk? I haven't heard news from home in quite some time."

"Ah, you're lucky, Miss Astrid. I've just come from their waters straight down here. I was lucky I dodged some of the storms the gods sent my way. Ohohoho, the waves I had to navigate! Though, they weren't as bad as some of the tropical storms I've experienced from my time in India. Have I ever told you about how I've been stranded on a lonely island with all my cargo strewn about for months and no boat t—"

"Johann." Astrid crossed her arms. "Berk, please."

"Oh, right. Yes, of course. There haven't been any major developments there. Stoick is still chief, Master Snotlout still assigned heir, and those damnable Thorstons were out to steal my ship. As per usual."

A quick smile ghosted over her features. "And… my father?"

"He was headed south before the ice. Which is why he gave me a letter for your chief to deliver. Though he apparently did want to be back up north by spring."

Astrid nodded. So her father hadn't made his schedule. It really shouldn't bother her as much as it did. But he hadn't been there for her mother's funeral; he should have at least been there for the annual mourning day of the deceased to honour her. Astrid had done the traditions together with Hiccup in the crater, but it wasn't the same as the big ceremony held on Berk where she should have participated for her mother's sake. She just hoped that someone had remembered to honour Haldis Hofferson for them.

"But if it consoles you in any way, Miss Astrid, your friends asked about you. If I've heard any news of you. I had thought you to be with your father still. They sounded genuinely missing you."

"Thank you, Johann."

"Astrid!" Heather finally caught up with her again and ripped her out of the hushed conversation. "You can't just go off like that! With so many people, I would have never found you again if I hadn't known where you were going."

"Relax, Heather. I was just talking to an old acquaintance."

"Wait, you know that man?" Heather gestured to Johann and Astrid nodded.

"If I may introduce myself to the lovely miss? I am Johann, a trader of all goods from all over the world, with adventures up my sleeves to fill a whole month's worth of telling." He did a little bow at which Astrid could only roll her eyes. Humbleness and discretion had never been strong traits of the merchant.

"Uhm, okay. I'm Heather Grimborn. A friend of Astrid."

"A friend of Miss Astrid, you say? Then may I present you with some friendly offers with just the best prices? You won't get a better bargain anywhere on this market, I can promise you that much, Miss Heather."

"Miss Astrid?" Heather quirked and eyebrow and smirked. "I'm sorry, sir. But Astrid hasn't been a Miss for a few months now."

"Oh?"

"Heather, really?"

"Now, do tell that story. Maybe I can bring the news back home for you?"

"I've gotten married. That's all. Really." Astrid waved it off and shot a glare her friend's way. The more you told Johann about yourself the more he would try telling his own stories and Astrid didn't have the nerve to put up with that.

"Ah, then," Johann reached for a box behind the table of his booth and brought forth a stone figure about the size of her forearm. "Please, take this as a belated present for you and your husband. It's a depiction of the greek goddess of marriage, Hera. You can tell from the diadem on her head, the sceptre in her hand and the peacocks to her feet."

Astrid worked a polite smile on her face and accepted the gift. She'd put it to the set of other depictions of gods and goddesses of marriage and love they had received as blessings for their marriage. By now, they probably had some from each religion on the known lands.

"I've met the artist myself. A strange fellow with a tendency to perform unholy rituals whenever he went to work. I've seen one or another myself, I'll never get the picture of him—"

Astrid held up her hand to stop the merchant in his words. "Johann. I'm sorry to interrupt you and I'm sure that story is really interesting, but we must be going."

Heather nodded in confirmation— maybe just a tad too enthusiastically. "Yes, we have an appointment with the seamstresses to meet."

"Ah, in that case, maybe another time. My adventures in Greece were most interesting and enlightening. Give your husband my greetings, Miss Astrid. Mrs Astrid. I'll be here till the end of the week, maybe you'll find time to look by again. I'd love to meet the man to get you to settle down."

"Will do, Johann," Astrid said and they bid their goodbye. She didn't once mention to him that he, in fact, knew her husband quite well already. He hadn't mentioned that he knew about Hiccup's whereabouts even though Hiccup had told her he had met the trader on more than one occasion in Greuelorm over the years. And Trader Johann also knew which story surrounding Hiccup was believed on Berk; he had spoken his condolences to Stoick on the boy's presumed death even though he had known better. Maybe he didn't want to touch the subject in a busy environment like the market, but it still made Astrid hesitant to share her husbands identity with him. Something about the whole interaction with Johann had rubbed her the wrong way and it wasn't the ugly figure of a goddess in her hands.

The moment they were out of hearing-range from his booth, Heather dissolved into a fit of laughter. "Good gods!" She grabbed the stone figure out of Astrid's hands. "This thing must be the most hideous of all the one's you have in your collection already."

Astrid groaned. "I know. And I can't throw it away either because it would bring 'bad luck'. Wouldn't want to piss of any goddess, whether I believe in her or not; just not worth the risk. But I'll put it in the very last row so I won't have to look at it whenever I walk into my rooms. We got a way prettier version of Hera already"

"Even before that one with the two heads?"

"Even before that one."

Heather snickered. "Those kind of things," she waved the figure for emphasis, "make me damn glad I'm not married yet."

Astrid snatched the unwanted gift out of her friends grasp, put it into her basket and covered it with the fabrics of some clothes.

"If that's your only reason, then you are missing out on the really good stuff, girl."

"Like what? If I wanna get laid, I'll just hit up Eret or find me a delicious sailor to bed."

"That's not the only thing I was talking about. You're missing out on all the sweet, little things. Your random sailor — no matter how delicious — won't be bringing you treats from the baker, or give you a massage after a long day. You're missing out on commitment and—"

"Love?"

"Yeah." Astrid smiled.

"Have you… actually told Horren by now? Like, does he know you love him?" The other woman asked. Heather usually like to tease her and Hiccup about their obvious growing affection and fondness for one another. But now, she seemed almost hesitant to ask. For once, she was being serious.

"Oh, he knows. And I know that he loves me. We just… never said it aloud, I guess."

"So you're always berating me about communication and to admit to my feelings when I gnaw them down, but you still haven't told your man you love him? He never got to hear those three little words from you? Poor Horren."

"Poor Horren? Pfff."

"And how do you know, anyway? Did he spell it out for you or what?"

Astrid furrowed her brows and bit her lip. "No, I just… I just know. I don't know how, but I do. And I know that he knows as well."

She really couldn't pin-point exactly how she could be so sure of her husband's feelings for her — she just was. The warmth in his eyes when he looked at her told her as much. And the emotions he put into even the smallest of kisses was a tell-tale sign. Whenever they spoke of the future, it was an unspoken agreement — like a truth they couldn't deny, nor wanted to escape — that they would stay together, come what may, even though they could easily declare their marriage invalid since it had been based on a false identity on his part. But, Astrid didn't want to do that. She couldn't imagine anyone else by her side other than Hiccup now that she had let him into her heart. She wasn't afraid to show him her full scale of emotions like she was with many people. Around him she could be weak without ceasing to be strong. And when he let his guard down around her whenever the world was too much and he was breaking down again because of Drago, she knew he trusted her with his heart just the same as she did.

"You two can be so weird at times, you know that?" Heather asked and shook her head. "I don't understand marriage. At all. It makes people go crazy, I swear to Thor." She pushed the door to the seamstresses' shop open and their conversation was drowned out by ruffling fabrics and eager seamstresses tugging them along.

A couple of hours and a few pokes with pinning-needles later, Astrid tugged off her long skirt and blouse and slipped into the warmth of the bath the maids had drawn for her just as the last remnants of the day left the sky. The stars were already out and shining like little diamonds. Her muscles were humming in delight as she relaxed with her eyes closed in the tub. Her husband hadn't been home when she had arrived back from her shopping-detour with Heather, but he should be back any minute now. And with him her axe that he had promised to sharpen for her. She had missed the exercise this morning, but made a mental note to make up for it tomorrow.

Astrid soaked in the slightly steaming water. She would need to tell Hiccup about Johann. Whatever had unsettled her about the interaction with the trader still hadn't really worn off; maybe it was just that Johann had the means to come and go as he pleased, able to return to the Archipelago at any time with his ship, while she was stuck here in this city. She missed home, her friends, and the mostly carefree live she had lived there. Greuelorm had her tense almost day and night and it was tiring to turn each and every word over in her mouth three times just so she wouldn't let anything slip that could get her or Hiccup into trouble. She just wanted to live a normal live with her husband, as mundane as it sounded. And the wish for that grew with every day. Astrid didn't need loads of money, or a big house or anything. She would be more than happy with a small house in an equally small village where Hiccup could work in a smithy and she could be the warrior she was.

Astrid sighed. Who was she kidding — she wanted to be back on Berk, just without the dragons raiding every few nighs. Now that she knew the truth about those beautiful, compassionate creatures, she could never go back to killing them. Stormfly had become such a valuable companion to her and flying on dragonback was the most exhilarating feeling in the world. The saddle Hiccup had build to fit the Nadder had opened a world for her. The few times a week they managed to sneak to the crater and fly their dragons side by side over the vast sea or the ever-changing landscape of the mainland was the one of the only times she truly felt happy and completely at ease. So where ever they would be in the future, Astrid knew the dragons would be with them.

The Sanctuary in the far north Hiccup had spoken so often came back to mind. And while the place must truly be magical, Astrid couldn't imagine herself living in the wilderness without people around her for longer than a holiday escape. She needed civilisation around her and the company of more than one human being in order to not go crazy. She honestly didn't know how Hiccup had managed to do so for the few months after his initial departure from Berk or how her mother-in-law had done so for fifteen years.

The door to the East Wing opened and footsteps shuffled around the main room.

"Astrid?" Hiccup's voice sounded as she heard him pushing his boots off and getting rid of his coat.

"In here," she yelled back. There was some more rustling and eventually his steps drew nearer. She turned her head toward the bathroom door just as Hiccup slipped in, a warm smile stretching over his face.

"Hey," he said and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He settled down on the floor behind her and nuzzled her neck, his arms circling around her.

"Hey yourself." Astrid leaned back into his touch. "Don't you wanna come in?" She felt his sigh against her neck more than she heard it, his breath tickling the tender skin.

"I probably should. But…"

"But what, babe? You've been out all day, been to the forge and you're sweaty. Get in here already. And besides, the water's still nice and warm."

He kissed her neck. "If I get in there with you right now, Milady, I won't get the paperwork I still have to do done — we both know that."

"Should've done it earlier." She flicked some water on his head. "But seriously. It's bathday and I won't allow you being more work for those poor maids just because you didn't have your priorities straight."

He groaned but got up and tugged his tunic over his head. "I would've preferred sleeping in tomorrow."

Astrid rolled her eyes and scooted forward in the tub to make space for her husband. "Again, you brought this onto yourself, so don't let other suffer for it." She shamelessly watched him undress with a pointed grin that brought a blush to his face. Even after the months that they were married now, it was still so easy to fluster him with just a look.

The water sloshed as he lowered himself into the water behind her. She handed him a bar of soap.

"Suffer, eh? Pray tell, Milady, what are you suffering from?" Hiccup gently rubbed the soap over her back — like he always did when they shared a bath. They had subconsciously developed a routine and by now it was second nature to help each other wash. The domesticity of it made her heart tingle; it was something most married couples did and added a layer of normality to their live when everything else was just about as unconventional as could be.

She snorted and held her hair up and out of the way. "Lately, the lack of my husbands presence when going to bed, for example. Every night there's another stack of paperwork Drago wants you to do and I'm honestly sick of it. If he doesn't slack up a bit already, Imma need to have a talk with him and my axe."

"You know, it's either paperwork or killing dragons for him." Hiccup's voice was small, and when she turned back to him found his face downcast. "And I can't do more of that, Astrid. I just can't. Not— not—"

She cupped his face in her hands, his three-days scruff tingling her. "I know, babe. And I don't want you to. The last time… It broke my heart to see what it did to you." She kissed him tenderly, then took the soap from him even though residual lather still clung to her own skin. She ran her hands over his chest, washing the sweat and grime from his skin. "What I meant was that you're working day and night for that asshole and you deserve a break. I can help you with the paperwork if you let me. My English isn't as bad anymore as it was a few months ago."

Hiccup grabbed her hands and kissed them. "I honestly don't know what I did to deserve you."

Astrid smiled. "Oh, I can think of a couple of things."

He tugged her against him and peppered her skin with kisses, making her giggle at his antics. She wrapped her arms around his neck and melted into his touch.

"Mmmmm." His hum vibrated through his chest and into her own, sending shivers down her spine despite the warm water surrounding them. "How 'bout we go to bed, Milady?"

She combed her fingers through his hair. "Let me wash your hair, Mister, and I'm all in." She kissed his jaw and fished the soap out of the water. She must have let it fall somewhere during her husbands kissing-fit.

They made short notice of finishing their bath and stole kisses along the way that weren't all that innocent. By the time she had clambered out of the tub and rubbed her self dry with a towel, her heart was beating a mile a minute. And before she could even notice, Hiccup had already scooped her into his arms and carried her to their bed, a grin full of promises on his lips and a squeak followed by a giggle escaping from her own.

Astrid claimed his mouth the moment he had settled them down and wrapped her legs around his. His touch was fire on her skin, stoking the burning desire within her. They haven't had time to really enjoy each other for weeks now, only able to squeeze in quick trysts that left her aching for more rather than bringing her the satisfaction she sought out from her husband. And while she enjoyed each and every moment with him, no matter how short, the desire to spend passionate nights wrapped around each other grew stronger every day that he was kept too busy and would come to bed when she had long since fallen asleep.

She ran her tongue over the roof of his mouth, revelling in the groan it elicited from him. Their tongues tangled and Astrid smoothed her hands over his back, feeling the lithe muscles contract under her touch. They parted for air and their panting breaths pushed their chests closer together. She reached up to bring his lips back onto hers, but Hiccup drew away and instead kissed the column of her throat.

"I really haven't taken care of my wife the way I should have lately, huh?", he mumbled against her throat and squeezed her waist. Astrid huffed.

"You didn't really have a choice. I understand that you're busy— it's just…"

"Let me make it up to you." He kissed down her throat to her chest. When their eyes met again, his were dark with desire, but he didn't yet make any effort to just take what he so obviously wanted judging from the hardness of him pressing against her thigh.

"There's nothing to make up for, babe," she told him and carded her hands through his still wet hair. The one at blame for their lack of intimate moments surely wasn't her husband. He still made time for her and she loved him for it. And it wasn't like they hadn't been intimate at all. But the last time they had had time for each other for longer than an awfully short hour had been on his birthday.

Hiccup kissed the arch of her collarbone and down her chest. "Then at least let me show you how much I appreciate you." How much I love you, was left unsaid — as always - but Astrid could read it in his eyes and it was enough for her. He didn't need to tell her how he felt just as she didn't need to tell him; they knew it without a doubt, like a truth the gods had whispered in their ears, and it was enough for them.

~o~o~

The Burnt Man was overflowing with visitors. It wasn't a necessarily rare condition for any tavern of the town, but also not the norm. But with winter's breath dying out, the ships had come back into their port and the sailors and merchants were looking for a comfortable bed and a warm meal. The tables were filled with chattering people and in the dark corners of the main room, deals were made that weren't all that legal. But for now, Drago let them go about their business. He remembered their faces and would later confront them about it.

It wasn't that he was against dealings of that kind, he just rather keep the outlaws under the scrutinising eye of his black-market within the tunnels underneath the town; the place where most of his money came from. Most merchants knew that if they wanted to sell goods that weren't allowed on the normal market, they had to pay a fee to be let into the market underneath Greuelorm. But every year, new and unexperienced traders washed up on his shore that didn't knew about the rules of his town.

Drago liked being in control; of the normal people who just lived their lives respecting the laws he had set to keep the facade of the town up, and of the outlaws that didn't abide to those laws. He found a purpose for each and every soul in this town that could further his cause. And so far, the only one he didn't have under control to the extend he would like was the boy living under his roof and his young wife.

Drago had thought that having his stepson get married, he would finally be able to pull him completely to his side and if it was through threatening the girl. But the opposite had happened. While Hiccup was doing as he was told to some extend that was just so acceptable, he also drew more lines between them. On the last few trips they had taken together, the boy hadn't touched another dragon again. Hiccup had straight up refused to even touch the creatures and not even a knife to his throat and a threat on his wife's life had gotten him to budge. And Astrid had proven to be more capable of staying alive than was useful to Drago. The girl was able to sniff out poison and her fighting skills had protected her from physical attempts on her life more than once now. It was frustrating.

Drago wove his way through the tavern and up the stairs to the floor his private rooms were in as well as those of his closest advisers. This part of the tavern was closed off for the public and the guard he constantly kept at the landing of the floor knew who to let in. Tonight, Ryker Grimborn, the commander of his strongest fleet and captain of the guard, was stationed at the landing, arms crossed and a hard glare darkening his features.

"Sir," the older Grimborn brother said and gave a short nod. "Your brother's already waiting for you in your study."

"Good. Let no one else on the floor tonight save for Viggo or Krogan. And I want you to make sure no one sees or hears my brother leave once we're done. I require absolute secrecy, Ryker."

"Consider it done, sir." Ryker put one hand on his scabbard and stood firmly in the mouth of the hallway once Drago had walked by.

Tonight could be the night where the last piece fell together to complete his plans. And he didn't want anyone interfering with that.

His brother was sitting at the moonlit desk, a goblet of what probably was the most exquisite wine he had found on his travels in one hand and stoking his moustache with the other. Outlandish fabrics enveloped the small, skinny body. At first glance, no one would suspect they were related in anyway, or maybe just distant cousins at most. But Johann had taken so much after their mother — a tiny woman from the Near East with a tendency to punish misbehaviour with a walloping of her slippers — while Drago was almost the exact copy of their father. There wasn't much that connected the brothers still after dragons had ended their parents lives but the mission to avenge them. And while Drago was good at controlling, planning and executing, Johann had an ability to infiltrate and mislead just about anyone that must come straight from the gods themselves. No one would expect a master-spy underneath the cover of a silly, extravagant merchant. Which made him so invaluable to Drago next to being the only one left from his family.

"Johann," he said upon closing the door behind him. The moonlight was the only source of light in the room and he huffed in annoyance. He lit the torches at the wall. "How has your journey gone? Did you find the information we need?"

"My dear brother." Johann got up from his chair and set aside his goblet. A crystal one from the closet Drago kept the only key to near his body at all time, he noticed with a disapproving frown. "We haven't see each other in months. Can't we just settle on a normal 'hello and how are you' for once? We have all night to discuss matters of business still."

"We may have all night in theory, but the boy is growing more and more suspicious if I come home in the early hours of the day. He starts to suspect I'm not just out gambling the money out of fool's pockets."

"Doesn't he have a lovely wife to tie him to his bed at night? He shouldn't even know about your comings and goings."

"He does, but that doesn't keep the maids from talking."

Johann sighed dramatically and Drago's jaw twitched. "You can let the act fall, brother. We both know you're not the dramatic fool you pretend to be."

"Forgive me if months upon months upon months of keeping the act up has made it difficult to just let it fall, brother."

"Just a bit longer and then you'll never have to pretend anything anymore." Drago settled down behind his desk and shuffled the papers around. Johann had carelessly rifted through them it seemed. Not that there was anything he needed to hide from his brother. Johann may not be anything close to his second-in-command, but he was his most trusted confidante. Which would be a bit controversial what with him being a master-of-disguise-and-spying, but Drago trusted no one more with information than his brother. There were only few things Drago couldn't tell him, and those he certainly didn't keep on a piece of paper for anyone to see.

"So," Johann took another sip from his drink and poured another one for Drago as well. "First of, the development at the Northern Market has stayed constant since last we spoke."

"I know that already. Ryker has been at the army stronghold in the north all winter long. He just came back three days ago. He has a fleet full of newly trained men stationed in the north, ready to fight for us on command."

"So that was why the blacksmiths at the Market were all out of weaponry. Good to know. You didn't tell me this last little detail when last we met."

"The Southern Markets are full of spies of our enemies. It wasn't the place to give you this little bit of information. Could've cost us the whole fleet if some desperate slavers had gotten word of it."

"Hmm." Johann stroked his moustache again. "Well. If you already know about the development up north, then I don't need to waste my breath on it further. Oh, but the dragon raids have gone down a little over the past few months. I think you've captured quite a sum of dragons from the local dragon queen. Whenever there's a raid, the flock attacking the villages is smaller than it was still a few years ago. The people, of course, see this as a good sign; a blessing of the gods if you so will."

Drago smirked. "Then just wait until I present them with a solution to all their dragon-related problems. They'll worship me like they worship Thor. Their saviour from the plague that's lasted for centuries."

"As long as I'm getting my own island to command I don't care who the people worship."

"Once everything is done, you can have a handful of islands if you want. As long as I'm sole sovereign of the Northern Sea, of course."

"Of course."

Drago sipped his wine and his features twisted. "I don't know how you can like this stuff. It tastes awful."

Johan shrugged. "We have as many differences in taste as we have in life itself." He picked at his fingernails, though no grime could be stuck underneath them. Johann kept his appearance at top-notch almost constantly and that included his fingernails. As boys such behaviour had earned him the teasing of his older brother, but Drago had long since lost interest in picking on Johann like that; it was a waste of energy and time and he needed his brother to stay loyal without a fault.

"Any other informations worthy of sharing, or—?"

"What did you say again was the boy's wife's name?" Johann said and Drago started. He hadn't told Johann because it had never been of any relevance. She was just the daughter of a foolish trader. The night when he had gambled her off her father's hands Drago hadn't even planned on finally securing a marriage contract for his stepson. But when the opportunity to have that under wraps had arisen, he had seized it. But Astrid could have been replaced by any other random girl with foolish parents. And by now, Drago wished he had indeed secured a contract with one of the local girls instead; his daughter-in-law was just as hard, if not harder, to control as his son was.

"I didn't. Astrid's not of any importance, really. She's just some foolish trader's unfortunate daughter."

Johann nodded with a sly grin lifting his moustache. "So it really is true, then. I had my suspicions, but wouldn't have taken Astrid Hofferson-" Drago's eyes widened as his brother revealed the former family name of his daughter-in-law; he had never even mentioned it to him. "-to be the kind of woman to let herself be tied into a marriage she didn't consent to. I thought she would end up being a most formidable Shield Maiden. Interesting."

Drago forward, hands braced on the table. "You know her?"

A chuckle erupted from his brother. "Do I know her. Of course I do, dear brother. But first, what did they tell you? Were they smart enough to act like they didn't know each other?"

"What are you saying, Johann? They had already met outside the tavern while I was negotiating with her poor excuse of a father. Hiccup brought her in himself because she was looking for her father."

"Ah, and after?"

"They…" Drago thought back to the weeks before the wedding. He hadn't thought much about them being close after their wedding night because it had been glaringly obvious that they had taken interest in each other. But before… there had been a few instances where the girl had caught herself on saying the boy's name. In front of Drago, she always referred to her husband as Horren, the name he was supposed to use and not the name his wretched father had given him — Drago had made him change it just in case some travellers from the Barbaric Archipelago came into his town, met the boy and recognised him as the lost Heir of Berk by his name. There was of course the possibility that he had just told her his birth-name. But with what Johann was implying…

"Brother," Johann said when he didn't continue taking for a while. "Astrid Hofferson, the girl currently living under your roof — and wasting your money, by the way —, was to be Berk's best Shield Maiden in decades. She grew up alongside Hiccup. They've known each other since the day she was born."

Drago was silent for a moment, letting the new information sink in. Things he had been mildly surprised about, like her and Hiccup getting along so well so quickly or her father's nervous fumbling around Valka — who the man must have thought long since dead — it all made sense now. "She's another one of Berk's brats."

"Yes. And a very capable warrior on top of that, too. She was the top of her class in Dragon Training and would have had the honour to slay the Nightmare had Hiccup's disappearance not disrupted that spectacle. Though, she brought her first dragon down in a raid just a couple of days later."

"Which would explain why she managed to shake off my men without more than a few nicks to her skin. Basil — that good for nothing little rat — has had her cornered twice alone this month with his group of moron."

"How many of them are still alive?"

"All but one who she gutted when that idiot tried to take her. Two of the other's ended up with knives to their balls and refuse to ever go anywhere near her again. But ever since the boy had a talking to with Basil, I haven't seen him." Drago furrowed his brows. He couldn't care less for the whereabouts of that rat. But he also doubted Hiccup had killed the man. While the young man was very skilled with a sword and protective of his precious little wife, he didn't have the guts to end another human beings life just to avenge the attempt at his wife's life and honour. Basil had probably just deserted and was three towns over already.

Johann laughed. "Ah, I'm not surprised Hiccup would try to protect her. Boy's been sweet on her since they were nothing more than kids. But I am surprised Astrid didn't gut them all on sight."

"Hmm." Drago stroked his chin. This new development certainly opened doors in his plans. But it also meant that his stepson would be even more eager to get his mother to leave the town behind even if it meant leaving the dragon Drago still kept in the tunnels underneath the town; out of sight of the thriving Black Market, but near enough to let them hear its pitying roars. And if he wasn't careful enough, Hiccup and Astrid would just leave without Valka. The boy was enamoured enough with his young wife. "So I am in the possession of three people Berk would desperately want back. Any ideas what to do with that?"

Johann smiled menacingly. "I might just have a plan already, brother."

Drago's own lips tugged up to mirror his brother's. "Now that's something I like to hear."

~o~o~

Getting up the next day, proved to be more difficult than he had imagined the night before what with his beautiful wife wrapped around him, her arms holding him in a vice-like grip. But the paperwork he had to do for Drago wouldn't finish itself. With a sigh he disentangled himself from Astrid, careful not to disturb her in her sleep, and slipped out of their bed after pressing his lips to her forehead. He got dressed and went into the study, snatching an apple from the basket on the table on his way. He would try to get as much done before breakfast so he might even have time to spend some of the morning in peace and quiet before they were headed off to the markets. Astrid hadn't yet revealed to him why she wanted to drag him there, but he was sure she'd tell him eventually.

Seeing the ever-growing stack of paper on his desk, he wished he had at least gotten some more work in last night. But Astrid was right, he was spending too much time looking over boring reports, calculating the next set of taxes for Drago, and figuring out Greuelorm's cumulative inventory from the lists the various smiths of the town had given him. It was work that Drago used to do himself. But now that whatever project the man had been working on was coming to a close, he was apparently too busy to take care of his damn town himself. And Viggo Grimborn, Drago's second-in, was also too preoccupied. So the work fell onto Hiccup, much to his dismay. And Astrid and Toothless were the ones suffering most from it.

Hiccup had barely found the time to make visits to the crater and their dragons in the past few weeks. He was grateful that Astrid made sure the dragons were safe and well most of the time, but it couldn't go on like this.

He missed flying, he missed spending lazy afternoons with his dragon goofing around and his wife's laughter following him.

Last night had been a welcome escape from the harsh reality awaiting him every time he stepped out of their suite. The delicious noises Astrid had made letting him forget for a while that they were still not out of the damnable town and its master. But of course, reality had caught up with him the moment the harsh wind against their window and the morning sun had awoken him.

Going through the reports was tedious work. Drago expected him to keep track of each and every minute detail; who was marrying who, how many births had there been and into which families, which boys were coming to an age they could be of use. And that was only the beginning. He didn't really understand why Drago was so interested in such things, but he wanted his lists and books up-to-date at all times.

By the third report that ran over three pages but essentially said nothing other than three marriage unions and five births in the past few weeks Hiccup was ready to bang his head on the table. He needed to have a word with whoever wrote these reports. He was wasting his time reading a bunch of unimportant floundering about the state of that other farmer's friend's cousin thrice-removed's cow and the animal's state of well-being after a thorn had gotten caught in its hide.

Hiccup set his pen down, closed the book he had been writing informations down in and pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. One minute and he would go back to work. He just needed one damn minute to not go crazy from these reports.

A set of hands gently set on his shoulders, rubbing small circles against his neck. When he looked up, he saw Astrid leaning over him from behind, the neckline of her tunic — which, upon a closer look, he identified as actually one of his own — slipped off her shoulder revealing a set of hickeys running up her neck that already started to turn purple.

"You didn't wake me," she said and a small yawn escaped her. She wrapped the shawl she had thrown over the tunic tight around her shoulders.

Hiccup reached up and tugged a golden strand behind her ear. "At least one of us should be able to sleep in, don't you think?" Astrid shook her head.

"No. I told you I'd help you so that's what I'm gonna do." But instead of grabbing another chair, she settled down on his lap, her face pressed to the side of his neck.

"Helping, huh? Milady, like this we won't get much work done." But despite his words, he wrapped his arms around her regardless, a smile tugging at his lips. Astrid must have just woken up for when she lifted her head again, he could see a drowsy look still on her features.

"In a minute, babe," she mumbled. He felt her lips press to his neck and her hand sneaking underneath his tunic to his abs. Hiccup snorted and rubbed her hip. His wife was incredibly touch-friendly in the mornings when she had just woken up and was still drowsy. Her wish to cuddle or more were the main reasons he usually stayed in bed a little too long if he didn't wake up before her. Not that he was complaining in any way about his wife's affections, but they sadly did cut into the precious little time he had to finish the paperwork before going about his usual duties.

Hiccup allowed himself to enjoy Astrid's affections a few minutes longer, humming in content as she kissed up his throat and cuddled closer to him. He tightened his hold on her and nuzzled her hair. But eventually he guiltily glanced at his workload and pressed a last chaste kiss to her lips before prying her hands off him. The look she was giving him was both of slight disappointment and resignation, but also so soft and filled with love it made his heart swell and his tongue heavy with words neither of them had said yet.

"Work?" she asked as she slipped off his lap.

He nodded. "Work. At least some before breakfast."

Astrid grabbed another chair and dragged it next to his. "Alright, tell me what to do and let's get this over with."

They made their way through the majority of the stack of papers, Astrid sorting them into reports, lists and whatever else had landed on the pile and ordered them by date while Hiccup continued on writing out the informations that interested Drago. He had to admit that while Astrid's presence and help didn't make the work any more enjoyable, it was going a little faster than working on his own. She even attempted at reading one of the shorter reports herself, but had to find that most things about the foreign language still eluded her. But her ambitiousness at wanting to master it in just a few months was admirable still. It had taken Hiccup years until he had gotten a hold of it. Granted, he hadn't been all that motivated at that time to learn a different language and it had been mostly to pass his time.

His grandfather had taught him as many languages as possible to comprehend for a child while his father had been out chiefing, making sure Hiccup knew the at least the basics of the most important ones in the world.

"A chief's son should be able ta get his point across no matter where he is and who he's speakin' ta," Old Wrinkly had said. "Many take that as a reason ta speak with their fists instead o' their mouth. But I'm not lettin' me grandson out inta the world with an empty head." He knocked his knuckles against a young Hiccup's head.

Hiccup had only continued learning the foreign languages after Old Wrinkly's death because it had been his grandfather's wish. But he had never been as passionate or motivated at it as Astrid was for the few months she had been learning now. It was something he admired about her greatly.

Finally the stack shrunk down to a manageable size for another hour or two in the evening and they called it quits for the time being. Over breakfast, Astrid finally told him what was so important about the markets that she couldn't just go again with Heather.

"Trader Johann's back?" Hiccup mumbled around his bread. He swallowed his bite. "I thought he wouldn't be back until the end of spring. At least that's what he told me the last time I saw him."

Astrid sipped her tea. "You know what irked me? He knows you're here and he knows that Berk thinks you're dead. And he never said a word about you. Not even as I was standing right in front of his booth yesterday and I told him that I live here now. I would've thought he'd… I don't know, mention you or something." A crease appeared between her brows. "I could've easily just slipped his mind, but…"

Hiccup rubbed his neck. "Yeah, that's probably my fault. I did tell him not to mention me and my whereabouts to anyone from Berk. For once in his life he actually knew how to keep his mouth shut."

Astrid snorted. "Yeah, not really. I think that just made him even more inclined to tell some of his weird stories. But… he must know that chances are if we are in the same town for a while, we'd run into each other—"

"Which we did."

"Yeah." She still didn't look very convinced.

Hiccup reached across the table and covered her hand with his, rubbing circles with his thumb into her palm. "Astrid, he really just kept his promise by not mentioning me. And by the way, he also never told me about what Berk thought about my disappearance. When you told me you'd thought I was dead, that was the first time I'd ever heard about that. So I dare say Johann's not really a reliable source of information."

She blew her bangs out of her face. "Yeah, you're probably right. I guess the whole secretive thing we got going on around here had made me paranoid."

He smirked. "Just a little."

They finished off their breakfast and Astrid slipped into her clothes. Hiccup had noticed that whenever she would go into town, she would dress more like the women around the area did instead of her usual attire that basically screamed Viking. She once said that she didn't like the looks she was receiving when wearing her usual studded skirt and leggings. Seeing her in an ankle-length skirt or dresses was still not something he had gotten used to after most of his life only knowing her in attire that allowed her to fight and move about quickly.

The morning air was chilly and Hiccup's breath formed little clouds in front of him while breathing. Spring may be just around the corner, but the mornings still held the frost slowly creeping out of the ground that kept the last stubborn patches of old snow from melting completely. But give a couple weeks more and even those would make way for fresh grass and blooming flowers. Hopefully.

On Berk, winter would last a little longer still, what with the little island located just a notch south from freezing-to-death. The arctic winds brought the ice sooner and were afterwards reluctant to leave at all for the warmer months.

But the farther south you got, the sooner winter would be gone and Greuelorm was located just where the seasons all were about the same length instead of one lasting nine months and the other three being gone sooner than you could really experience them. It must be about the only thing he really liked about this damnable town.

Still, he was grateful for the soft fur-lined gloves Astrid had gotten from some merchant just before the ice had hit them. Before, he had only ever bothered to wear heavy gloves if he was working outside for most of the day and his fingers were about to freeze off. But one evening he had come home and thoughtlessly cupped his wife's face in his cold hands to kiss her and she'd shrieked so shrill a maid had come in, armed with a broom. Astrid had batted his hands away and dragged him to the fire-place, all while muttering about him better not trying to freeze her face off just because he was too lazy to put on gloves. The next day, she had thrown a pair of gloves at him when he had come home. Hiccup had never made the mistake of approaching her with cold hands again.

They rode into town and all the while, Hiccup amusedly watched his wife struggle to find a comfortable seat with the layers of her skirt bunching up around her legs.

"Sweet baby Thor in a thunderstorm," she muttered as she yanked at the fabric. "I swear if those damn judgemental people would just stop sticking their noses into my clothing-choice, my life would be way easier. But no, I wear clothes actually quite perfect for riding and suddenly everyone wants to know why I'm showing so much leg."

Hiccup snorted. "I told you we could just walk over."

"Takes too long. Right now, the market should still be rather empty. We'd take until midday by foot and that's when all of the town decides to take a look at the market. The earlier you go, the better." She spurred on her mare that had slowed down when she had started shuffling about. "And besides, if we manage to get back soon enough, maybe we can squeeze in trip to the crater as well today. Your meeting with Drago isn't until sundown, right?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice. You think we should make a quick stop at the leather-supplier too?"

Astrid looked quizzically at him, one hand at the reins and the other one straightening out her skirts. "Why?"

"I think you may need a different saddle if you want to keep wearing dresses while riding," he cheeked and spurred his mount into a quicker step. Astrid huffed indignantly.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that I can't ride a horse? Is that what you're implying?"

"I'm just saying that maybe a saddle you could sit on sideways would would solve all your problems."

"That would solve nothing!" she snapped back, but from the sparkle in her eyes he could tell that she wasn't actually mad at him for teasing her. "I just need two slits for my legs at the sides of the dress and I'd be fine. But no. That'd be too inappropriate— people can't know women actually have legs! We're just floating over the ground and our feet are decoration. Thor-fucking damnit!"

Hiccup threw his head back and laughed. "You didn't make such a drama about dresses before, Milady. What changed?"

"The freaking weather did. More layers equals more struggle. And stop laughing at me. This isn't funny!"

"Yes it is." He couldn't contain the laughter still bubbling up in him.

"It's not!" she said, but the smile tugging at her own lips betrayed her. "Instead of laughing at me like a moron you could make yourself useful and figure something out that could actually help me."

"Make the cuts and then add buttons. That way you'd be able to open and close them whenever you like," he offered, his laughter dying down to a chuckle.

Astrid just harumphed and grumbled under her breath some more.

The market really was still relatively peaceful when they arrived. Not that it was any surprise really. The townspeople mostly weren't risers with the sun. A lot of them had the privilege of sleeping-in well into midday before chores called them and many took full advantage of that. But it meant they had better chances at catching Johann without nosey shoppers peeping in.

Leaving their horses at a trustworthy stable within the town, Hiccup and Astrid made their way over the marketplace where many had already set up their booths, but equally as many were still fumbling with crates and baskets of goods. The bright booth of Johann wasn't easy to find in the maze of vendors with colourings just as exotic and remarkable that it made them dull out in the mass others of the same kind. But what made Johann stand out was his voice booming halfway across the market to shout his prices for goods no one needed and with back-stories to them that no one wanted to hear.

Astrid squeezed the arm she hung to and threaded her fingers through his. "You really think it's a good idea?"

Hiccup shook his head. "I… honestly, when it comes to that guy, I don't think there are any good ideas. He's either gonna chew our ears off with questions or start some of his stories, but he'll tell them regardless so big difference there," he said dryly and saw her roll her eyes from his peripheral.

"Dork."

He flashed her a grin. "Just sayin'. We'll hear the same stuff regardless of whether we tell him about this," he held up their entwined hands and the wedding ring on her finger caught the light, making the tiny details visible for the blink of an eye, "or not. And he'd find out regardless. That man gets informations about mostly anything if it interests him."

Astrid smiled. "Alright." She lowered her voice just so he could hear her. "I just don't want Johann to accidentally blow us and tell half the town you're from Berk and oh look at that your wife as well. If Drago hears…"

"Yeah, I know. But Johann has kept my secret so far and I'm sure we can convince him to keep some more." Hiccup bend down to peck her softly. She sighed when his lips left her and they kept walking toward the trader. "So please stop worrying."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm being paranoid, I know." She waved it off with her free hand. "But I'm serious when I tell you that something irked me about him yesterday."

Hiccup drew her near to him by her waist. "He could be our ticket out, Ast," Hiccup mumbled.

She stopped in her tracks and brought him to a halt with her. "Babe, we have dragons, remember? If we want out of here we could just—"

Hiccup shook his head. "Nope. Drago's increasing his patrols around the shore and dragons plus riders would be too easy to spot. He'd track us down in no time." Hiccup had seen Drago's army plans, their locations and the rotations of patrols. If they were to leave on dragonback they would have to take an alternative route over the mainland farther east and then make a huge curve around all the islands Drago had secured into his hold within a few months. It would cost them precious time of getting to a safe place and in that time, Hiccup was sure Drago would already have set a bounty on their heads.

Hiccup hadn't even known just how much of the Archipelago was already somewhat under his command until a few days ago. So the easiest would be to just sail right through the enemy territory. He probably should have talk about this with Astrid before going to meet the Trader, but it had slipped his mind with the ever growing to-do-list he unwillingly kept.

Astrid looked like she wanted to ask more, and he could understand. But right in the middle of a steadily growing more and more busy market place was definitely not the place to talk about such things.

"Later," he told her and took her hand again, starting through the alleys of booths surrounding them. "I promise I'll tell you more later."

She nodded — though she didn't look happy about it. "Later."

Johann was dressed as ridiculously as the last time Hiccup had seen him, maybe even more so. At first, the trader didn't notice them, too engrossed in a collection of shiny pelts he exclaimed came from a place so far south the weather was just as miserably cold as up north, but the inhabitants of the eternal ice so much nicer. Hiccup rolled his eyes as Johann said something about flightless birds that waddled over ice and dance in the water.

Astrid stepped forward first and ripped the trader out of his silly tale. "Johann!"

"Ah, Miss— excuse me — Mrs Astrid! Wonderful seeing you again so soon. May I ask if you've brought you darling husb—"

Hiccup stepped around a market-goer and back to his wife's side. "Johann."

"M-M-Master Hic—" Hiccup raised an eyebrow. Johann should know better by now than calling him by his real name out in the open. "Ah, Horren! Master Horren. What—" the trader stopped in his speech and his eyes flipped back and forth between the two of them, widening almost comically as Hiccup nonchalantly put his arm around Astrid's waist.

"Johann, I think you already know my husband quite well, hmm?" Astrid said.

Johann fiddled with the wrappings around his wrists. "Ah, I, yes. You see I never could say much, Miss Astrid. I just—"

Hiccup waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. That's not what this is about Johann. At all."

Johann stilled for a moment. "It isn't? So, would I be in the clear now to inform…" he inclined his head and cleared his throat. "Are your whereabouts in the clear now? Do you want me to send word?"

"No. But I have a trade to propose," Hiccup said and immediately the awkwardness fell off the Trader and he gathered himself back into the supposedly professional negotiator of trades he was.

"Well then, what may this proposal be?"

~o~o~

"Alright, let's go over this again." Astrid paced up and down in front of him. Toothless' eyes followed her every step and the dragon had his head cocked to the side in confusion as to what the young woman was doing. Pacing and throwing her axe from hand to hand. "You want to fly Toothless and Stormfly to that one island you're not even sure about will still be unoccupied. You want to come flying back on my dragon because of Toothless' prosthesis and trust that she'll find back to that hopefully unoccupied island on her own. You want to leave me here while you're halfway across the Archipelago for a while and expect me to just wait here until you come back? And then trust Johann to smuggle us out?" She whirled to face him, a hand buried in her braid and tugging at it. "Have you gone insane?"

"Astrid."

"No! This plan is yakshit, Hiccup. Absolute, utter, thorforsaken yakshit!" She came up to him and rapped her knuckles on his head as he tried to shy away. "Where in the name of Odin have you left your brain? Because it's clearly not where it should be coming up with yakshit plans like that. And without telling me first before going off and making arrangement! What the Hel!"

Hiccup caught her wildly gesturing hand and the sharp weapon coming uncomfortably close to his face. "Astrid. Please, I know it's not the best plan. But I told you. I can't let you fly through a maze of Drago's soldiers. There's just too many of them being placed along the shore. We've only flown over the mainland so far where it's peaceful and no one would try shooting a dragon down. But Drago's soldiers come with dragon trappers to gather more supplement for whatever he needs so many dragons for."

Astrid snorted and ripped out of his grasp, throwing her axe at an unfortunate tree. "And you expect me to let you fly through a maze of dragon-trapping soldiers? Definitely not gonna happen, babe. And if I need to tie you to a damn tree. And why can't we just fly so high up they can't do anything, huh?"

Hiccup ran his hand through his hair for the umpteenth time sine he started relaying his plan to Astrid. "Because at the coast border the winds up that high are unpredictable. It wouldn't be a problem if we were to leave a small island, but this is the mainland, Astrid. The winds coming from inland and those from the sea are clashing here and up high it's worse. I'm not taking that risk." He didn't add that he wouldn't take the risk with an unexperienced rider.

Astrid may have been flying on Stormfly on her own for months now, but their flights had only ever been over land since the tightening of patrols. And with so many of Drago's men walking about the area, chances were that someday one of them would look up long enough to pinpoint the crater it the mountain rage if they didn't head the direction of the bordering land right after taking off. Astrid had never experienced the harsh winds of the sea while on Stormfly and Hiccup didn't want the first time she did be during a risky escape. One mistake and they could be downed.

"I don't like this," Astrid declared.

"I know, but we don't really have a choice."

Astrid snorted. "I just hope you'll come up with a better plan before Johann comes back."

The trade Hiccup had proposed to the trader had been that once he was headed due north again he would smuggle them out of Greuelorm and Drago's waters. In exchange for all the riches Hiccup had ever gotten from working for Drago. Hiccup hadn't told Johann the destination he was to bring them to, but he had agreed regardless. Now, they only had to wait until Johann would be back from down south again.

"Astrid." Hiccup approached her carefully like she was a dragon about to pounce. He held her by her shoulders. "I promise it'll work. Just… trust me. Please." He touched his forehead to hers and watched her close her eyes in resignation.

"Ugh. I trust you, moron. I'm just… worried." She pursed her lips and looked up to him. "And what about your mom? You've waited all this time to get away because of her. And now? You… never mentioned her at any point of the plan."

Hiccup drew away just enough to watch their dragons playing with the now juvenile children of Stormfly. It wouldn't take long and they would fly off to find their own places in the world as all young dragons did.

"I spend enough time waiting for her already," he said eventually. "I get that she wants to stay because Drago still has Cloudjumper. But… I honestly lost hope a long time ago that he kept him alive and… I can't-" He sighed and rubbed his temple. "Drago's driving me insane, Ast, and now you're in as well and I just- I've made up my mind and now it's her turn." He caught her looking at him with furrowed brows. He couldn't watch her as the last words of his reasoning came out.

"I'm not gonna wait around for a mother who never came back for me when I needed her most. You're my wife and I swore to protect you so that's what I'm gonna do. Even if it breaks my heart leaving her behind."

Astrid placed her hand on his cheek and turned his face to her again. Her eyes were wide and filled with sympathy. "Does she know?"

Hiccup shook his head. That was a discussion he hadn't had with his mother yet, and he knew it wouldn't be a nice one. "She'll be upset and disappointed. And… I'm gonna tell her. I just… I need to think about how to break it to her."

There was a pause in which Astrid's eyes flitted back and forth between his, her teeth worrying over her lower lip. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," he said just over a whisper. The thought of leaving his mother after he had found her just a few years ago was clenching on his heart.

When he had first met Valka, it had seemed like a dream come true. For once in his life there was someone who completely understood him and cared for him and knew the truth about dragons. He hadn't been happy when she had revealed that she had stayed away from Berk voluntarily; it had felt for a short moment that even her own son wasn't worth coming back for, her own flesh and blood. They had discussed it more than once and in the end Hiccup had just decided to ignore that flaw of his mother. Valka loved dragons as much as he did and accepted him into her life without hesitation, giving him a place in the Sanctuary where he could finally feel like he belonged.

But now that Astrid had come into his life again — as his wife nonetheless — things had changed yet again. He had vowed to make her happy, to care for her, to protect her. And he couldn't do so in the long run while they were still with Drago. He wanted to have a future with her and it was about time he made an effort to get it started. And if his mother decided once again that dragons — or rather one lone and probably dead dragon — was more important than her family, then Hiccup had to accept that and move on.

"I'm sure." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. "It hurts, but I'm sure." He kissed her again, just to remind himself what he was hurting for. And she was worth it.

~o~o~

There was word around the Archipelago that the Dragon Raids were going down. Less dragons would invade and all in all there were fewer raids in general. Gobber supposed the other tribes either had gone mad or were just ignoring half of the dragon problem at hand because on Berk the dragon raids still were familiarly regular and frequent, with just as many pests invading their village as ever.

"Oi, Gobber!" Hack yelled and threw a mangled sword to the other weapons piling up on the windowsill of his workshop. "Need tha' fixed. Ye 'ave another fer me?"

Gobber gestured to the weapon-rack on the wall where he always kept spares in case the muttonheads in the village forgot how to take proper care of a weapon and it 'spontaneously' breaks during the fighting in the night. He never managed to catch up with the orders during nights like this — especially during nights like this. He continued pounding on the dented blade of another sword while Hack sorted through his collection.

"Oi! There's no sword! Gobber, I need me sword!"

Gobber grit his teeth. He would much rather be out there fighting along side the other villagers, but no, he had to stay in the forge and take care of the abused weapons. One of these days, he would just whack anyone not knowing how to care for his precious creations over the heard with his bludgeon; maybe that would teach the stubborn Vikings a lesson.

"Gobber! Me sword!"

"Agh, if there's no sword, I don't have one fer ye! Now get o' me back an' go kill some o' the damn beasts!" Gobber pointed the sword he was hammering on at Hack and waved it close to his whiskered face. The man grumbled but eventually shuffled out of the forge, grabbing one of the bolas along the way and throwing it at the nearest dragon with a passionless scream. The beast went down and Hack just stared at it before shrugging his shoulders and shuffling off, leaving the work of killing the beast to someone else.

"Um, Gobber?"

The blacksmith whipped around, a scowl already on his face should another good-for-nothing villager try to get on his nerves. But instead he was faced with the Ingerman lad. He was fiddling with his thumbs and had his shoulders up so high they reached the little helmet on his head.

"Ah, Fishlegs. Don' tell me ye've more work for me, aye?"

The lad shook his head so violently it almost sent his helmet flying. "No. Actually, I've come to ask if… you maybe could use some help?" He looked down at his boots and shuffled the dirt on the floor around.

Gobber's face softened. "Aye, lad. Tha' be much appreciated."

Fishlegs immediately picked up a few of the weapons that only needed sharpening and got to work with a grateful smile. The lad wasn't much of a dragon killer. He was more useful providing the theoretics of the craft to the younger generation, but somehow, the lad had quickly found other occupations after having made his first few kills. Gobber either saw him commanding the fire-brigade or picking up the wounded from the battlefield to bring them to Gothi. On the rare occasions that he wasn't needed there, the Ingerman lad always found his way into the forge.

"I wish I could be of more use in here, Gobber."

The blacksmith waved him off. "Och, don' ye worry, lad. Any help is better than none at all."

They worked alongside each other throughout the entire raid and Gobber even found time to go out into the battle himself for a couple of minutes and kill some of the dragons trying to set fire to his forge. But at the end of the night, when everyone was heading home, he still found himself with a stack of weapons that either needed fixing, sharpening, or were only good for the scrap-metal pile.

He slumped down on a stool at the sight, rubbing the stump of his leg. For reasons the gods wouldn't explain to him, his leg always hurt more after a busy raid-night than his stumped arm. Maybe hammering away at weapons with it over many years had killed of any residual nerves there. He only knew it would act up when the weather was about to change or he hadn't changed his prosthesis in a while. But his leg— his leg would complain the most to him.

Fishlegs had long gone; helping his family pick up the remnants of their house that had taken a great toll during the raid. Gobber just hoped the Ingermans found enough help from their neighbours to repair it. He would offer them his help — even just to thank the lad for his help around the forge — but the daily workload in the forge was already more than he managed to do on his own without him taking a day or two off.

With another sigh, he sorted through the weapons and pieces of armour laid out on his table, dividing them into categories depending on what kind of attention they would need. Over the years, he had found it easier to see his workload in small chunks rather thank one big mess. Especially since he had become the sole blacksmith on the islands once more.

The sun was already rising up on the horizon when he finally allowed himself to take a break a head off to bed for a couple of hours. He hadn't made as much progress going through his pile of work as he would have liked to, but he wasn't getting any younger and his body needed the rest.

A figure emerged in the door to his workshop, towering high and mighty, but his face shadowed by exhaustion. Stoick dropped another weapon onto the pile, giving the blacksmith an apologetic smile. Gobber sighed.

"How's the damage control goin'?"

Stoick shrugged. "No better than usual. The fire-brigade did well, though. Less houses burned down. But the Ingermans'll still have ta build from the ground up."

"Are they gettin' enough help?"

"Aye. Snotlout's seein' ta it right this moment. Said somethin' 'bout no' lettin' his one useful friend be homeless. The Thorston twins 're also unusually helpful. Fer the time."

Gobber cackled as he changed the prosthesis of his left hand from hammer to hook. "Donnae worry, by noon they'll 'ave set the sheep on fire."

Stoick chuckled. "I hope not. But tha's not why I'm here, Gobber."

"Ah, then why are ye?"

Stoick was silent for a moment an ran a hand over the doorframe leading to the little compartment of the smithy where all of Hiccup's things still slumbered, waiting for the boy to come back and finish the blueprints of ingeniously crazy inventions; but the boy would never come back. Gobber just couldn't find the heart to pack everything up and disturb whatever order his apprentice had kept there.

"Gobber," Stoick started with a voice much quieter than the blacksmith was used to from his old friend. "I think it's time ye take another apprentice."

Gobber dropped the hammer-prosthesis in his hand. It fell to the ground and just barely missed his good foot by an inch. He took a shuddering breath. "I'm good, chief. I can manage the work without anyone fiddlin' with me stuff." He bent down, picked up his prosthesis and hung it on the wall to the others with shaking fingers.

"Gobber. I know— I know it's not easy. But ye need ta think about the future. What if somethin' happens an' suddenly Berk doesnae have a blacksmith anymore? We'd be lost against the beasts!" Stoick didn't look him in the eye as he said the words, didn't even remotely look in Gobber's direction. Instead, he had his sight firmly set on the little compartment his son had used to spend his time and creativity in.

"Stoick," Gobber said with a pained look on his face. "Come on, I'm not tha' easy ta get rid o'. I'll manage. I cannae jus— jus' replace the lad!"

The chief stiffened, his knuckles turning white as they gripped the doorframe. "It's not replacin', Gobber! Ye couldnae— Hiccup's irreplaceable — I know tha' better than anyone. But ye need ta think about the good o' the village. Ye think Hiccup would've wanted ye takin' on all tha' work by yerself?"

Gobber gripped the workbench to keep him steady; his legs surely weren't holding him up anymore. "But I've Fishlegs," he tried weakly, although he knew his chief was right. "He…"

"The Ingerman lad isnae a blacksmith, Gobber; ye an' me both know tha'! He's our dragon-expert and walkin' library, but he's not a smith." Stoick slowly let go of the frame and turned around, the pained expression on his face mirroring Gobber's own. The moment Hiccup hadn't come back out of the forest, they both had lost a son. Even if Hiccup hadn't been his own flesh and blood, Gobber had loved the awkward lad as one; even if he hadn't always known how to show it to the lad.

"Ye need ta take a new apprentice."

"An' who?", Gobber flared up. "There's no young lad here cut out fer the job."

"Hiccup wasnae either, but ye still took him because I asked ye ta. And if ye donae want ta work with any o' the lads, then maybe one o' the lasses? Phlegma's niece is old enough an' understands enough 'bout weapons."

"Eh, the lass'd rather try out all me weapons than makin' new ones." Gobber turned to his workbench and picked up one of the daggers he was working on. The hilt still needed to be fitted with a little counterweight to balance it properly and then wrapped with straps of supple leather. Nothing he hadn't done a million times over.

"Gobber," Stoick said again tiredly. "Just… think 'bout it, yes?"

Gobber nodded and rummaged around the box of preformed weights for the small pommel he liked to keep. It just needed a small one, the blade wasn't really all that heavy and made to fit the hands of one of the younglings that would be starting training in the arena soon.

He didn't look up when Stoick said his goodbye and made his exit, just grunted in return and kept on fiddling with the Dagger. When the door fell shut behind his old friend, he hung his head and closed his eyes.

Stoick was right, of course. He would need to take another apprentice eventually. It just… hurt to let someone else take up the place in the forge Hiccup had occupied for so long. Gobber would need to clear out the little room as well, another place that belonged to the lad in Gobber's opinion even if he would never again return to it to think up crazy inventions.

He looked up through the window of the forge to the early morning sky. Five years ago the lad had claimed to have brought down a Night Fury, shot down from that very same sky. The blueprint of the contraption — whether Hiccup had really managed to do it or not — hung on the wall over Hiccup's desk. And even if Gobber had to clear out the lad's things and put them into his storage room, he'd keep the blueprint. It was the one invention that maybe — with a few tweaks here and there in the calibrations according to Fishlegs — could actually work.

Gobber would take a look at the kids. Maybe one would fit. And then he would do his late apprentice justice and bring down dragons with the help of his bola launcher.

He closed the window and shut his forge for the time being. And while he still wasn't happy about taking on another apprentice, he knew that Hiccup wouldn't want him to do all the work himself with his aching joints and bones. His age was catching up with him.

It was time to start over with fresh blood in the forge.

 **A/N:**  
Soo, NaNoWrimo is happening and I was able to finish up this chapter sooner than I would have without it :D And I've also started writing a little One-shot for this AU that takes place during Hiccup's Birthday since I totally forgot that before starting to write this chapter and halfway through I noticed but didn't want to change things up because what's happening in this chapter wouldn't have fitted earlier on in the timeline. So I might post a separate One-shot collection for this story; let me know if that'd be something you'd be interested in. :)  
Not gonna say any more right now so I can get back to writing my three NaNo projects (yes, call me crazy, but writing three things at once helps me write more since I can switch when getting stuck!) and hopefully be able to write another one or two chapters for this story until the end of November. Because, as you might have picked up, SHIT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN! And I'm so excited!  
So, thank you all for reviewing and faving and following and you seriously have me in tears whenever I read the comments! Please keep them up and I promise in return I'll churn out another chapter real fast! 333 :)  
Until the next one!


	18. Is It Enough, Though?

Hiccup knocked at the door to his mother's chambers. And while Valka didn't share them with Drago like he and Astrid did — and like any other normal married couple did — he was still glad that his stepfather had already left for the day. Drago's bedroom was just across the hallway, taking up the other half of the first floor of the west wing. And what he was about to discuss with his mother couldn't reach Drago's ears under all circumstances.

"Yes?" Valka yelled from inside and Hiccup peaked his head in.

"Mom?"

Valka came out of her dressing room, twisting her long hair into her usual braids. She smiled upon seeing him which made it all the harder.

"Is everything all right, honey?"

He nodded and closed the door behind him, leaning against the wood for support for a moment. A quick prayer to the gods couldn't hurt, so he mentally asked Thor and Odin and whoever may listen to him that his mother for once would think about her family.

"I need to talk with you about something," he eventually said.

Valka considered him for a moment before tying off her half-finished braid and mentioning for him to sit with her before the fire.

Valka's chambers weren't at all like the ones he and Astrid inhabited. While theirs had been an impromptu clean-up of the bigger guest-rooms, Valka lived on just one half of the wing. When it came down to space, it was probably pretty equal, but where they had more open space and windows lining both sides. Valka's rooms were neatly leading one into the other. Guests would never see her bedroom without first having to cross the sitting room and the study; the bath and the dressing room coming in from the opposite direction.

Hiccup chewed on his lip and tapped his foot on the carpet before the fireplace. Usually the soft cushions of the exotic settee were heaven to sit on— but now with his nerves gnawing at him, he would rather sit on hard stone or wood, anything that could give him a little stability.

"Is it Astrid?", Valka asked with a sympathetic smile on her face. She leaned forward and took his hand. "Is she with child, dear? Is that what this is about?"

Hiccup furrowed his brows. "Um, no… that's not— why'd you think she is?"

Valka snorted and patted his cheek. "Son, do we really have to talk about where babies come from again?"

Hiccup's cheeks flared up. "Mom! No, we do not!"

"Really? Because by now I'm starting to worry whether the two of you really know what you're doing." Valka laughed.

"I— We— That's not— We're fine, thank you very much. And by the way, Astrid's still taking her herbs." This had taken a direction that was strangely easier to talk about than what he originally had come for, but it was still uncomfortable. He did not need to have a talk about his sex-life with his mother, for Odin's sake.

"Oh? I could have sworn one of the maids told me she had stopped…"

Hiccup jumped up in an instant, hands in his hair. "What! When was that?"

But Valka just laughed and leaned back in her seat. "Oh, son. I'm sorry. If you say Astrid's been drinking it then don't you worry." She wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye.

He groaned and put his hands over his face. "Are you for real, mom? Seriously?"

"I'm sorry, dear. But you are just so easy to freak out when it comes to your wife."

Hiccup snorted and said dryly, "Oh, yeah, because I'm the only man freaking out over the prospect of being a father sooner than planned."

Valka sighed, shaking her head. "Dear, you've been married for almost half a year now. Don't you think it's time to start a family, son?"

He started pacing the length of the sitting room, crossing it with just a couple of long strides before having to turn around again.

"Mom, that's really not what I wanted to talk about with you. And— yes, Astrid and I want to have children. But…" He stopped in front of his mother, taking a steadying breath. "Not here."

Valka furrowed her brows and all humour left her at once. "What do you mean 'not here'?"

"I-" he sat back down and dropped his voice just over a whisper. He didn't know if any of the maids were nearby and eavesdropping on them. "Not while we're still anywhere near Drago. He's a madman and I don't— I can't— The whole time I've been here, he's been looking for new ways to control me, mom. Now just imagine how more creative he'd get if there was a child he could use against me."

"Hiccup—" Valka started, almost berating.

"Don't. Don't say he wouldn't. We both know that he would. He's been pissed at me ever since I refused to help him kill the dragons he can't use on our travels. It's a wonder he hasn't had Astrid assaulted just to get his will. I… I could never forgive myself if something happened to Astrid our any possible children we may have just because I couldn't find a way to protect my family."

Valka remained silent for a few moments, considering him with furrowed brows and a frown tugging at her lips. "So what do you want to do? Because clearly you've something in mind or you wouldn't have told me all that."

Hiccup fiddled with the sleeve of his tunic, unable to meet his mother's eyes. "I do. And you're probably not gonna like it."

Valka sharply sucked in air through her nose. "Hiccup, no. We talked about this. You can't just—"

"I'm sorry, mom. I already set everything into motion. Astrid and I are leaving."

"No! I won't allow it. I'm so close, Hiccup. So close. Don't risk everything now for a woman you've only known for a few months!" Valka jumped up and Hiccup followed her suit.

"A few months? I've known her all my life, mom! And I'm not just doing this for her, I'm doing this for me just as much!" He would like to raise his voice, had to grit his teeth to keep from yelling at his mother. But he couldn't risk it. This damn house had ears everywhere.

"Just a few more months, dear, and I promise- I promise everything will be alright. Just give me a little more time." Valka begged.

"Time for what?" Hiccup shook his head. "The past four years you've been telling me that. 'Just a little more, Hiccup', 'give me more time', 'we're almost there'. But you never told me what I was having to wait for! For Drago to drop dead? For some miracle to happen?"

"Hiccup, dear, please!"

"No! I'm sorry, mom, but I'm done waiting. I'm done with Drago ordering me around and making my life miserable. I'm done!"

Valka gripped her braids, looking close to just rip them out from frustration. "Hiccup, I have a plan! I've been working so hard these past few years to get there. And if you leave now everything will have been for naught! I need you to be here for when the time comes. I'll talk to Drago, I'll tell him to give you other tasks. You— You could help with the blacksmiths; you're good at that! But please! Don't— Don't leave."

Hiccup shook his head. "You're talking about you damn plan again and still you won't tell me what it is. I'm sorry, mom, but I've made my decision."

Valka reached out for him, grabbing him by the shoulders and he let it happen because he hoped maybe she would change her mind and abandon her oh-so-secret plan. Over the years, he had figured it must be something to get Cloudjumper back, to somehow free him from Drago's dragon dungeons. But for all she talked about her plan, she had never acted upon it in all the years.

"Just give me three months, dear. That's all I need. Three months — maybe four at most — and everything will be okay. We'll go back to the Sanctuary and you'll never have to worry about Drago ever again, I promise."

Hiccup pried her hands off his shoulders. "Mom, we're leaving in two. And— I want you to come with us." He clasped her hands in his tightly, fearing that if he let go, his mother wouldn't agree at all. "Please, mom. Everything is already taken care of and all you'd need to to is leave with us. Please."

At once, Valka's face turned to stone and she stepped away from him. His heart sunk, but he had known she wouldn't agree. Somehow he had known his mother would never put her family first.

"Hiccup, you know very well that I'm not willing to leave without Cloudjumper. And- and if you're so adamant on leaving with your wife, then do so, but don't expect me to do the same." She turned her back to him; a silent dismissal.

Hiccup clenched his jaw and had to blink away the burning behind his eyes. He went to the door but stopped with his hands already on the knob. "I could have left years ago, you know?" He said over his shoulder, but Valka had her back still turned to him and didn't give him any indication that she was listening.

"But I didn't. I didn't because I was waiting for you. I hoped… I hoped that maybe you cared enough for me to finally start acting like a mother and do what's necessary to… protect me. But I've had to protect myself this whole damn time. I just… it would've been nice to just have one of my parents do their job. I'm sorry if I was wrong and I expected too much. I'm sorry for hoping my mother would care enough for me to not leave me again." He took a shuddering breath and blinked away the tears threatening to run down his cheeks. He leaned his forehead against the door. All the bottled up feelings were coming up again. He had suppressed them for years after their initial fight about her absence for most of his life. He had told himself over and over and over again that his mother hadn't really had a choice in staying away. But she had now and he still wasn't enough for her.

"I just want my life back, mom," he said, voice hoarse from unshed tears. And he was tired; so tired of having to argue with his mother about wanting to just be free. "I want to be able to sleep at night without having to fear for my wife's safety when I leave in the morning because Drago might send his lackeys after her again. I want— I want to have a life. And a future. And some damn peace of mind for once in my life. Is… is that really too much to ask for?"

Valka didn't answer, and he didn't wait for her to. He left without looking back at her. He didn't need her to see the wetness on his cheeks and the hurt in his eyes.

He was doing the right thing. Leaving Greuelorm was the right thing.

Now he just needed to convince himself some more that leaving his mother as well was also the right thing.

=0=

Valka gripped her cup of tea so tightly she feared for just the matter of half a moment she would crush the tiny porcelain cup she had a trader import from china. But then, she set her eyes on her daughter in law right in front of her and the reason for her mood took that care for the cup away from her again. She should have abandoned their weekly breakfast together that they took when both their husbands left the house early for some time-consuming chores or other. She really should have. But she couldn't really explain to her daughter in law that she was the reason for her mood, but she needed to. So here they were in tense silence. Because Valka was so angry she was almost steaming out of her nose and Astrid had noticed the tension but didn't know the reason.

The brat didn't have the slightest clue about the trouble she was causing for Valka and that made the older woman just all the more angry.

Astrid had manipulated Hiccup into leaving. She was responsible for Valka's plan going to fail and the girl didn't even know about it. All she cared about was getting away from Drago and having Hiccup all to herself, the selfish brat. Valka had liked Astrid, had liked having another woman in the house. But she had been apprehensive towards the direction the girl was steering her son towards.

Up until she had shown up to be his bride — albeit, Valka knew it had been as much Astrid's decision in this as it had been Hiccup's, which was not at all — Hiccup had not quite been able to grasp the importance of Valka's plan, but he had been supportive and understood that he had to wait just a little while longer until they could continue to live in harmony with their dragons. But now, he just wanted to throw all the years of hard work to the wind just because his pretty little wife had batted her eyes. She couldn't believe he was giving everything they had worked towards up just to keep the girl warming his bed in his bed.

Valka bit her tongue to stop herself from straight up lash out at the unassuming girl, but that didn't stop her eyes from mirroring her anger anyway.

Eventually, Astrid sat her own cup down on the table with a clang and huffed in resignation. "All right, spit it out, Val. You've been in a sour mood all morning and if you don't tell me what it is so we can work it out I'm gonna go. I don't need to ensure any more of your vile glances — and don't think I haven't noticed you looking at me like that! Because I have." A little hurt appeared int the younger woman's tone and voice, that sent a pang of up Valka's heart, but she decided to ignore it for the time being.

Valka folded her hands on the table, and forced her face into a neutral facade. "Did you know Hiccup came to talk to me this morning? Just before he went to work?"

Astrid sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh, he didn't. I'm sorry, Valka, I tried to convince him to wait a little longer, to come up with something else, but he wouldn't listen to me."

Valka laughed an unbelieving laugh. "Oh, yes, I'd very much like to believe that, dear. But you know what he told me? HE wants to leave! Just… leave!"

"Valka, really. I know. But nothing is set in stone yet. He'll change his mind, I'm sure."

"About the leaving? No, I don't think so. He seemed very committed. He even wanted me to leave as well! Can you believe that?"

Astrid furrowed her brows. "Yes, he wants to get you out of here and know you safe from Drago. And I know he's set on leaving. I meant his plan, Valka. His plan to leave is just… completely asinine. Did he not tell you about it?"

Valka shook her head. "No. He left the house before we could get to that part. I… didn't want to hear about it. In fact, I also didn't want to hear about the two of you just up and leaving like that. But he didn't give me a choice with that. He just… told me."

Astrid looked at her in confusion. "But why don't you want to leave, Valka? This place is horrible, Drago is horrible. And we could have a way better life somewhere else. Like the" she lowered her voice. "Like the sanctuary! OR…. Just anywhere else but not here."

Valka pouted. "I'm having a rather good life here, thank you very much, dear. And Drago is not as horrible as the two of you paint him out to be really. At least not to me. He has never raised a hand against me or anything."

"But he did with Hiccup!" Astrid almost yelled, her eyes ripped open wide. "He abuses Hiccup every chance he gets! Be it emotionally or… physically. The bruise on his cheek the other day? He just said that he didn't want to force the last bit of money form the poorest of the poor in the outer villages just because Drago raised the taxes again. And Drago wanted to hear nothing of it and hit him! How can you say with a straight face that that man you call your husband isn't the most horrible of the them all?"

"I… it pains me every time he decides to raise a hand against Hiccup, but my son needs to understand that he can't always disobey his stepfather. He should learn to respect authority. And I can't leave here yet. I have a plan to full fill. Hiccup knows that. And he supported me for years without raising questions. And now? Suddenly he says its not enough and that he wants to be free again when that is exactly what I'm working towards. But I can't do that if he leaves and isn't here to ready everything when I need him to."

Astrid gaped and then huffed a laugh. "And what plan are you talking about exactly? Hiccup told me you… were onto something, have been for years. But he also told me that you never even bothered to tell him your plan. How can you expect him to stick around for something that is going to happen really soon — for years now! — and that he doesn't even know what to expect from? How— why don't you just tell him, Thor damn it?"

Valka crossed her arms and glowered. "I can't tell him yet. It's too dangerous, if only one word leaked the whole plan could go to waste! I can't risk that!"

"And when — pray tell — is your plan finally gonna come together? When are we getting out of here if we just follow your lead?" Astrid had taken on a pleading tone and Valka wondered just how asinine her son's plan really was if his wife was so desperate for an alternative.

"Four months. At most. I just need another four months and everything will start to be alright again."

Astrid's face dropped. With a small voice she said. "That's too long. He wants to be out of here as soon as possible."

Valka grit her teeth. The audacity this young woman possessed— "I know. He said you two would be gone in two months. Two. If you can wait that long, why not just wait two more? Why destroy everything I worked for just because of two months?"

Astrid balled her fists on the tabletop, gripping at the decorative cloth so hard her knuckles turned white. "I— Valka—"

"No." Valka rose to her feet with a scrape of her chair. She stemmed her hands on the table and stared down at her daughter in law. "I've heard enough excuses today. The answer is quite simple, you see. You stole my son from me and just because of you he isn't willing to wait anymore. All of this is your fault," she seethed. "You manipulated Hiccup into thinking even as little time as two months more is too much. You wanted to leave this place from the minute you entered and you manipulated him into abandoning everything I've worked for and planned just because you planted the idea of— of fleeing into his head!"

"Excuse me!" Astrid shot to her feet as well, rage distorting her usually rather pretty face. "I didn't manipulate Hiccup into thinking anything! Yes, I wanted to leave, yes I want to— to be anywhere but this wretched town. And Hiccup knows that! But you know what? He brought it up first!" Astrid yelled now. It was a good thing Valka had commanded the maids to stay away, she had known her daughter in law wouldn't be able to keep her voice down and neither could Valka anymore. And she didn't need her husband to be informed of everything down to the word. This was nothing that was any of his business.

Valka leaned forward. "This doesn't change the fact that this is all your fault! You ruined everything. Everything! If it weren't for you, my son would never leave!"

Astrid slammed her fist on the table and her plate jumped up and dropped down the side of the table, falling to a thousand pieces at their feet with a resounding clank. "It was his decision! He didn't even tell me what he wanted to do until it was already done! He— he made plans and arranged for everything and only afterwards even told me about it! Had I known beforehand, I would never have agreed to it!"

"Still it stands, Astrid. You've stolen my son from me." Valka felt the urge to growl. From her year of living among dragons, she had picked up on the habit that had been hard to suppress once she was living among civilised people again. Or any people at all, for that matter. And right now, the urge to be just a bit more feral was strong.

"I did not steal your son," Astrid seethed. "If anything, you pushed him away yourself. All I did was be his wife and if you can't deal with me actually doing my job in being there for him when he needs me, then I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you."

"What are you implying? That I didn't do my job? Is that what you are trying to say?"

Astrid furrowed her brows. "No. It wasn't. But now that you bring it up, actually yes. All you're doing is leaving your son behind. You leave him to deal with all his problems on his own instead of supporting him and fighting for him. I've not once seen you stand up to Drago when he wanted to put some horrible task on your son. Not once. And I've been here for long enough now to start doing exactly that. You know what that earned me? Drago's lackeys coming after me whenever I go out into the town on my own. But I don't care as long as I manage to at least somehow make his life a little easier. But you—" Astrid shook her head. "You're never there for him when he needs you. And it breaks his heart. But he forgives you still only for you to hurt him over and over again. And I can only assume how he is feeling right now. Because apparently you pushed him away again and are not coming with us, right? You would rather abandon your son again just to continue whatever vendetta you have instead of doing what any mother would do and make sure your son is happy and safe. You—"

Valka's breath was coming in raged pants and at once — after letting Astrid talk herself into her twisted reasoning — her hand shot out and she slapped the girl hard across her oh so pretty face, leaving behind a red mark that must sting even more than her own palm.

Astrid stopped her words, gaping at Valka. Slowly, her hand rose to her cheek and she backed away. Valka would have expected for her eyes to well up with tears, but the young woman just hardened her features and took a shaking breath — the only sign that the slap had stung at all. For a moment, Valka had forgotten that her son's wife was an experienced warrior and probably used to pain worse than this.

"Take it back," Valka growled lowly. "Take all of what you just said back."

Astrid backed away some more and then turned for the door. "No. I will not." And then the young woman was out of the room and slammed the door shut behind her.

Valka stared after her for a few seconds, her breath sill coming fast and in puffs, her knuckles white from balling her fists. She grit her teeth so hard her jaw was aching.

A pang of guilt went through her chest, if only for a short moment. Maybe she shouldn't have treated Astrid the way she had done. She definitely shouldn't have slapped her. But what was done was done. And her daughter in law hadn't any right to speak to her the way she had either.

Valka went to the window and saw Astrid's lithe form retreating. A stableboy was already bringing her her horse. One of the maids must have overheard at least some of the fight between the woman after all. Astrid was known around the manor for wanting to either go for a ride or kill some trees after an argument. Sometimes even both. And when they had started to raise their voices it had only been a matter of time for the workers around the house to go and saddle the young woman's horse.

Valka knew where Astrid would be going. The crater in the mountain she herself had only dared to visit once while her son had been away with Drago. She couldn't stand seeing Toothless; confined to the ground and unable to live a life worthy of a magnificent Night Fury. She had never been able to look at his prosthetic tailfin without anger riling up in her. And she certainly wasn't able to fly him knowing his freedom would never be truly his again.

"Mistress?" One of the maids poked her head into the dining room.

"Yes?"

"Shall I clear the table? Or do you wish to continue your breakfast?"

Valka shook her head and turned her view out of the window again. "You may clear the table. I've lost my appetite."

"Yes, Mistress." Sounds of clattering dishes filled the room, but Valka tuned them out.

Astrid had mounted her horse and took off in a hurry that had some of the boys working at the gate scramble out of her way. And just as Valka suspected, the young woman turned her horse to the forest. And the mountains.

And for the first time since the wedding, Valka wished she wouldn't return again. If only that meant her son would stay and help with her plan. But she knew that if Hiccup lost his wife — that he clearly loved enough to risk everything — he would leave at once. Without looking back. Right now the only thing that held him here was, ironically, the very same that motivated him to leave. Because he couldn't use the dragons in the crater to get away, not while Astrid was still too inexperienced at riding them over the vast stretches of the ocean. And with  
Drago's men stationed tightly along the coast.

But Valka knew Hiccup would never leave his precious dragon behind. Not with fearing for Drago to finally find his hideout. Now if only Valka could figure out what exactly her son had in mind and if she could find a way to keep him in town for just a little while longer.

=0=

Hiccup had left the manor in a hurry after his argument with his mother. He had put himself back together, taken more than a few deep breaths and saddled his horse before he had to face one of the stableboys.

The ride into town had been calming and the biting morning air had cleared his head. There was no convincing his mother once she had made up her mind; they were really similar in that prospect. He must have gotten his stubbornness not only form his father, but his mother as well. But right now, he just wished she would be just a little more cooperative for her own good. Greuelorm had taken the light out of her eyes that he had admired so when he had first met her flying on her dragon.

Drago had taken so much from him within just a couple of years. Hiccup couldn't let the man take any more of his life.

Eret waited for him at the gates of the town, a bag slung over his shoulder and his horse tapping its hooves.

"Morning! Ready to go bug some of the landlords?" the older man yelled over to him and Hiccup forced a smile on his face. No matter how dark his mood, Eret wasn't responsible for it and Hiccup could at least try to be a little bit more chipper.

"I'd prefer a mug of ale right now."

Eret laughed. "Don't you worry, I'm sure we'll find some time later." He considered Hiccup with his brows drawn together. "Rough morning, mate?"

Hiccup rubbed the nape of his neck. There was no point in trying to hide anything from Eret. His friend could always tell when something wasn't right. "Eh, you could say that."

"Alright, tell you what. We do our work and tonight you'll tell me everything over a nice keg of ale and the barrel of roman wine I just got."

Hiccup smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, 'ret."

Eret clapped him on the shoulders as their mounts fell into a trot next to each other. "Any time, mate."

The day progressed slowly. The hours seemed to drag even more than usually and even the occasional banter Eret would provide to keep Hiccup's mood from falling off a cliff only helped that much.

But eventually — after hours of visiting the nearest villages under Drago's control and checking in with the landlords — they climbed the stairs to Eret's flat. And as promised, Eret got out his alcohol. And with a drink in hand, Hiccup began to tell his friend about everything just as he had promised.

As expected, Eret was glum to hear about the plan to leave, but not surprised.

"You don't think you could make space for a third deserter?" He said and Hiccup smiled. The prospect of leaving his friend and maybe not ever seeing him again didn't sit well with him. And if they did it right, Eret would have a chance to be free as well. Of course, an escape with three people was a little more difficult than with just two, but…

"I think we can manage that. But you'll need to be willing to swing your ass on a dragon in that case."

Eret grinned broadly and raised his tankard. "As long as the beast doesn't try to eat me, I'll have no problem with that."

The two men sat in enjoyable company a while longer and their conversation turned to different matters.

"Man, you should just tell her already! If you want to stop sleeping with her you need to tell her and not just go along with it just because she's making puppy eyes at you and sucks you off," Hiccup said and took a swing of his ale.

"She's really good at that though…", Eret mumbled and scratched his tattooed chin. Like almost every other week now, he had started complaining about his relationship with Heather. If what the two had could even be described as such. They were more like regular hooks-ups. And lately, Eret had had enough of the raven haired girl, but just wouldn't tell her.

"Eret! Every time you sleep with her, you come to me and complain about feeling nothing at all," Hiccup tried to reason with his friend. They'd had this exact conversation a million times over by now. And if Eret continued to chicken out every time he tried to tell Heather off, they would continue to have it until the end of their days.

"Easy for you to say," Eret said. "You and Astrid are all over each other no problem. I just... I don't think I'm ready to tell her the real reason." He looked glumly into his tankard. Hiccup sighed.

"Honestly? I think she knows. Or at least suspects. Heather isn't so oblivious. And… it's not like you're all that inconspicuous either." Hiccup smiled apologetically as his friend's face fell.

"What'd you mean?"

"Astrid figured within a few weeks. So I can only guess that Heather has noticed as well after, well, years."

Eret downed the content of his tankard in one go and refilled it. "Okay, that's— Am I really that obvious?"

"Dude, you were practically inviting that one guy last week into your bed in front of the both of them. If that isn't pretty darn obvious then I don't know what is."

"I guess you're right. I just… Admitting it out loud seems way scarier than just— acting on it. And it's not like I'm not interested in her at all, I just— not always into her the way she wants me to. And that's not fair to her. Or to me. Or anyone."

"Alright, then tell her. I mean, you also told me, so…" Hiccup pointed his tankard and the drink sloshed out a bit.

"Pssh, that's different."

"How so?"

"I'm not sleeping with you, for starters. And you told me about your secret, so it just felt right to tell you one of my own."

"Yeah, and I just hope you treat other people's secrets better than your own. Because you suck big time at staying closeted."

"I may suck big time, but—"

"Don't. Please don't."

"Not just—"

"Seriously, stop."

"Figuratively speaking. If you know what I mean."

"And there are the mental images I never needed." Hiccup cringed and took a gulp of ale. Eret just laughed, his good mood restored. Hiccup couldn't really say so for himself. While spending the evening with his best human friend was great and had definitely managed to lighten him up, the fight with his mother still weighed on him. But he pushed it away for the moment. They still had two moths to figure everything out and in that time, he would do his best to change her mind.

Hurried steps sounded on the stairs to Eret's flat and the door was yanked open without a know first. The two men whirled around to the intruder and Hiccup found one of the boys working for Drago panting in the doorway. He had only seen him once or twice and didn't know his name yet, but he immediately recognised the uniform all of the workers of the manor wore.

"Sir," the boy said despite being maybe just a year or two younger than Hiccup himself. Maybe three. "There's— been an— incident. At the— the manor."

Hiccup was on his feet immediately, cursing the alcohol in his blood for making the ground wobble more than it should. "What happened?"

"Your wife, sir. She— went for a ride. The— the horse came back," the boy swallowed and took a deep breath, "but without her. She's been missing since early afternoon."

Hiccup frowned. "And you just tell me now? It's already getting dark out, damn it!"

"I'm sorry, sir. We just though— we thought she might be walking back home, the horse seemed calm enough and the reins were tugged in and— and—"

Hiccup grasped the boy's shoulders. "Hey! Calm down. Just tell me what happened."

"She's done it before, sir. Taken a ride and sent the horse back on its own. We thought it was just like the last few time. But she wasn't back till sundown and— they sent out a search-party for her already. I was told to inform you at an instant. But I had to run all the way, sir. I'm sorry."

Hiccup swallowed hard and then nodded. He forced himself to stay calm. At least appear that way. Because within he was already running all the possibilities through his head. Astrid was able to take care of herself; he knew that better than probably anyone else. But with Drago constantly threatening her life lately…

Eret came and sat the distressed boy down, pushing a full tankard in his hands. "You stay here and make sure no one breaks and enters, got it?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, sir. But shouldn't I be helping with the search?"

Hiccup shook his head and tugged on his coat. "You did well enough by getting me. You won't be no good to anyone worn out like you are."

They were down on the streets and on their horses within mere minutes. Hiccup had the suspicion she had gone to the crater. That's where she usually went if she left for longer rides.

And apparently Eret had the same idea.

"You going to check the mountains?," the man asked and Hiccup nodded.

"Keep them away from there for me. Don't need them stumbling over the crater just now."

Eret nodded and when they reached the spreading out search party, he helped organise the foot troops while Hiccup was already spurring his horse on through the forest and to the mountains. The ride there felt longer than usual, but that may also be the worry making every heartbeat seem thrice as long.

And when he finally stumbled down the slope into the crater, he was met by the dragons. But Astrid wasn't with them. Surely she would be coming with them to look for an intruder if she were here, right? But Toothless was just lolling his tongue out and jumping around him in happy circles and Stormfly trying to usher her offspring back into the tress of the crater. But no sign of his wife.

"Hey, bud," he panted from the strain running up a mountain side and then down the other. He petted his overly excited dragon, but his eyes were on his surroundings. He knew she wouldn't be hiding away behind the shadows of the trees if she were here.

"Astrid isn't here, is she?"

The reptile cooed at him and brought his tailfin up, showing the prosthesis had been removed.

So at one point, Astrid must have been here. But that could have been hours ago. The boy had said she had been gone all day. She could have spent most of it here, but she could also have gone somewhere else during its course.

The possibilities of what could have happened bubbled up again and he had to forcefully shove them to the very back of his mind. He couldn't allow himself to panic if he didn't even know whether she was actually in danger or not. It just… wasn't like her to not at least tell someone where she had gone or when she would be back. She always left a note or told someone on the go — be it one of the workers or his mother or even Drago should she happen to come by him.

Hiccup tapped his foot impatiently on the ground. He ached to get moving again, preferably search for her from the sky. Because not only would that be faster, he would also be able to cover more ground with just one look. But he couldn't. Not without betraying the safety of the dragons. So he patted Toothless again and ignored the sad noises his dragon companion was making as he took his leave again so soon after he had come. It pained his heart to see the disappointed expression on Toothless' face, but he didn't have the time to play or go flying with him right now. Not as long as he didn't know Astrid safe.

"I'm sorry, bud. I'll be back soon, but I need to go," he said and pressed his face to the dragon's scales, his arms around the thick neck in a tight hug. He didn't know whether that was more to comfort the dragon or himself. But after a second, he pulled away and raced back up the crater side.

He took a little more time making the way back to the manor than before — but not much. He searched the ground for traces of Astrid's path in the dim light of a waning day, but only found traces of another horse making the same journey he did and ended back at the very edge of the manor property. Her tracks wavered there a little before the prints of hooves in the soil continued to the gate of the property. She must have dismounted here and sent her horse back on its own. But…How could she have gotten lost between here and the manor gates just a couple hundred yards up the hill? There was no sign of anyone else and hers just… disappeared.

Hiccup was met by a disappointed group of the search-party halfway up the hill.

"Have you found anything?", he asked the men but they all shook their heads.

"Sorry, sir," one of the men said. "We've been looking everywhere, had people ask everyone who might've seen her. But nothing."

Hiccup swallowed, his pulse racing fast as Toothless could fly. He felt sick to the gut. If something had happened to her, if they had just overlooked one little clue… He couldn't imagine what he would do. And he didn't want to.

He took a shuddering breath and furiously blinked back the tears of frustration building up in his eyes. "Three of you go down the path into the woods, look at every damn tree or bush if you need. I want to know what happened to my wife," he said to them and they nodded, a small group already departing for the direction he had given them before the order was completed.

He turned to the next group of searchers and the next and the next until he had reached the gates of the manor. But they all told him the same. She hadn't been sighted and there were not traces of her anywhere. One of them joked she must've grown wings, flown over the throned hedge and was in their chambers peacefully sleeping while half the personnel was out on the streets looking for her. Hiccup had shot him a dark look at that and he had apologised.

But after the mad had said that, Hiccup had still sent up a maid to check their chambers and gather some more to check every room of the manor for her.

"But she cannae be here," one of them tried to argue. "We'd know if she had entered." He sent them regardless.

He was about to give in to the thoughts gnawing on him — the ones that told him he might not see her again, that one of Drago's men did get to her after all. But then a young maid came hurrying to his sulking form, a smile on her face.

"Master Horren! I've— I've found her!" the girl said and dragged him around the manor house to the gardens.

"What— where? Where is she?" He fastened his stride until he was half running and the maid had trouble keeping up with him. So she just pointed. To the far end of the garden. The oak tree.

"Underneath the oak. She's—" the girl laughed. Relieved. "She's sleeping. I didn't wanna wake her. Not when she may or may not have a weapon on her," she called after him, but he was already taking off in a mad dash for the damn tree. He had never crossed the grounds of the garden as fast as in that moment withe the prospect of his wife actually not that far from home after all.

=0=

Astrid almost didn't notice making the ride to the mountains and then the trek to the crater. She had made the short journey often enough by now to not think about it anymore. Her body was taking her without her mind being in it. She wasn't even really sure just where exactly she had gone so deep she had been lost to her own spiralling thoughts, until she was met with the slobbering tongue of Toothless as he greeted her. She willingly gave him the scratches he demanded and noticed the searching eyes of the dragon as he circled her.

"I'm sorry, Toothless, Hiccup's not coming today. He's busy."

Toothless cooed and she didn't know if he had really understood her, but she could have sworn she had just seen his wings drop just a little. He missed his human, Astrid could tell that much. And even if Hiccup had been with her to the crater just yesterday, Toothless would miss him every day. She could see it in his eyes that were so expressive of the dragon's emotions it took her breath away every time she saw the sadness in them.

"Oh, come here you." Astrid dropped to her knees and the black dragon instantly cuddled up around her, his head in her lap. She scratched his earflaps and made sure to give the dragon enough cuddles to last him another day or two.

"Where are Stormfly and the babies, Toothless, huh?" she asked the dragon as she moved on to his belly, giving it a good rub down. "Did they go flying without you again? Poor baby."

Stormfly's juvenile offspring loved to go for long flights all over the land, but Stormfly was hesitant still to let them leave the crater without her. The younglings didn't seem to understand that not all humans were benevolent towards them, but their mother did. Astrid was proud of her dragon for protecting her children like that, even if she mother-henned them quite a lot. But those long detours were usually a bit much for the Night Fury.

Toothless was still rather wary about his semi-automated tailfin, even if Snoggletog had been months ago. But apparently, only being able to fly with a rider and not liking his first fully automated fin in the least had made him hesitant to use his prosthesis to the extend it really allowed him without Hiccup on his back. After a little bit of persuasion from Hiccup, her husband had gotten her to fly Toothless as well. He had shown her how to operate the fin and how to read Toothless' clues the right way. She hadn't been a fan of the whole concept, but Drago's increasing Hiccup's workload had left little options if Toothless was to fly regularly — which he absolutely refused to do without at leas someone waiting for him in the crater.

Astrid got to her feet and brushed the dirt off her leggings. "Come on, you spoilt beast. Let's get you in the air, yes? You gotta keep working with that fin." She gestured to the prosthesis usually strapped to the dragon' tail. There were rare occasions where Toothless would gnaw on it from phantom-pains and they had to take it off him. Usually Hiccup and her just hoped the dragon would finally get his mind together and use the fin as it was intended to be used.

Toothless opened his fins and the prosthesis… didn't move. Astrid groaned.

"Did you pull the lever again, Toothless?" She made to grab for the lever locking the fin into it's automated mode, but Toothless danced out of her way, fully knowing what she had in mind. He always did this.

"Oh no. No. Toothless, get your scaly dragon butt back here right now. I'm not gonna go fly with you like this right now. Hiccup wants you to work that fin yourself, so that's what we're gonna do." She chased after the dragon. "Toothless!"

Eventually — after a rather annoying game of hide-and-seek mixed with tag — Astrid reached the dragon's flank and pulled the leaver attached to the saddle and the fin locked into it's automated mode.

"Gotcha," Astrid panted and Toothless huffed at her, whacking her over the head with the intact half of his fin. "Yeah, yeah. Complain all you want. We're still gonna do it my way. I'm so not up to for your stunts when I also need to manage your fin. You can do that with Hiccup all you want, but not with me." She climbed into the saddle and immediately Toothless leaped into the fresh air of impending spring. They were above the clouds in seconds.

Toothless took them across the planes of the land and occasionally swerved over the ocean, although Astrid would rather stay away from the coast. Almost every mile, a small group of Drago's soldiers had been stationed and the weaponry they carried with them certainly wasn't just for human enemies. Not if she could make out the catapults and  
ballistas from high above the ground. They really were also hunting dragons, then.

Astrid held Toothless back from the coast after one of their lookouts almost caught sight of them when looking up, but eventually shot his ballista at one of the birds flying by a bit lower than them.

But they didn't take much longer in the sky. Toothless seemed to tire out fast than usual when he had to control the prosthesis instead of his rider. And when they touched down on the ground, he licked at his tailfin and Astrid unbuckled it for him with nimble fingers. Once the prosthesis and the saddle were off, Toothless went off to wander through the crater. She would probably find him at the river coursing through it, catching some fish. But for now, Astrid retreated into the cave to store away the flying equipment.

The sun had only risen to its apex yet, shining noon down through the veil of clouds. Astrid grabbed a few logs of dried wood from the storage and set them up to start a fire. Having one of the dragons around would be helpful now, but she made do with the set of flint stones and a bit of tinder. A few minutes later and she had a small but efficient fire crackling in the front part of the cavern. As she was warming her fingers at it and leaned back against the rock wall behind her, Toothless came back from wherever he had gone off to. He pounded over to her and dropped something from his maw.

Astrid laughed as she saw that he had brought her a few small fish. "Thanks, Toothless. But I don't need them." Or so she had thought, for her stomach decided exactly in that moment to give a loud rumble. Had breakfast been that long ago already?

"Alright, I may need one or two." She picked up one of the metal rods they kept for impromptu grilling sessions in the crater. Like she was about to have right now with the fish the smart dragon had brought her.

Astrid placed them over the flame and Toothless settled down next to her, his head once more in her lap. As she roasted her lunch, her thoughts wandered once more like they had on the ride to the crater.

The fight she had had with Valka this morning left her feeling raw and… strangely inadequate. Both woman had said things they shouldn't have, but most had been true.

Astrid was the reason Hiccup had planned their escape. Well, part of it at least. But Valka had no right to accuse her of having stolen Hiccup from his mother, of having manipulated him and of being the cause for the downfall of whatever Valka's plan was. And she absolutely had no right to insult Astrid in the way she had. No right at all.

But Astrid also hadn't the right to basically accuse her mother in law of being a bad mother, of failing at it, really. She shouldn't have said the things she did, but she also couldn't take them back. Not that she would, anyway. There was a kernel of truth to it that Valka needed to accept. Because from what Hiccup had told her — if rather hesitant so, as if the mere mentioning of it would put an unconquerable rift between mother and son — Valka really hadn't done the best job of being a mother the moment they had touched down in Greuelorm's forest all those years ago. And from what Astrid had witnessed herself, she could see that Valka did truly love her son, but she wasn't doing all that good a job of being a mother to him. Not to the extend Hiccup needed her to be. Even if he would never admit to it. But Astrid could see it in his eyes whenever they would have a family dinner and Drago would demand something of him and Valka would just continue to pick at her food but not tell her damnable husband off. And Astrid couldn't pretend anymore she didn't notice the strain this was putting on her husband. And especially not if Valka threw pathetic accusations at her as well.

Astrid touched her cheek where her mother in law had struck her. She had been beaten way worse; that kind of was to be expected with growing up to be a shield maiden. She didn't fear the pain of injuries, usually they left her more angry than anything. Ruffnut had beaten her more often than she could remember growing up, be it during sparring exercised or because the female twin was trying to butt heads with her for no apparent reason. Even the time Snotlout had broken her arm just because he had wanted to show off had been more bothersome than anything else really. It's only fun if you get a scar out of it had always been her motto. And she had enough marks marring her skin to show for it too.

So the slap to her cheek hadn't particularly hurt; at least not physically. Yes, it had stung, but that was it. And it hadn't felt hard enough to actually leave a bruise. She would at least be walking around with a red cheek for a bit, though.

But what did hurt was the emotions tied to it. Astrid had thought she and Valka were on good term. They were always able to chat and laugh. That the other woman could feel such resentment towards her had never even once crossed her mind. Maybe that made her naive. But maybe that just showed that Valka was way better at hiding her true emotions than Astrid had thought.

Astrid sighed and took her just slightly overcooked lunch off the fire. She really wished Hiccup had given her a little warning this morning. But he had already been gone by the time she had woken.

She snuggled against Toothless' side, eating her meal and waiting for her thoughts to just stop. She should have taken the time to get her axe from the East Wing, but the fight with Valka had made her want to get away from the manor as fast as possible. Killing some trees with her beloved weapon always seemed to take her anger and her thoughts away rather efficiently. Flying did too, but Toothless didn't give her any indication that he wanted to take to the skies again and Stormfly still wasn't back with her offspring.

In the end, hours had gone by during which she replayed the morning over and over again in her head, thinking about anything she could maybe have done differently to calm Valka's anger rather than… spurring it on.

The sun was already halfway down again when Astrid finally got up again and gave Toothless one last round of cuddles and scratches. The dragon had stayed with her almost the entire time, offering silent comfort for things he couldn't possibly even begin to understand. And Astrid was grateful for it. A small smile ghosted over her face. Dragons were pros at figuring out what their humans needed, even before they knew it themselves. How she had ever thought they weren't anything less than the most compassionate and amazing creatures to roam the earth, she didn't know. And she was glad her husband had shown her their true nature.

The sky was turning slightly pink and orange by the time she saw the manor standing proudly on the hill again, towering over the village in the distance. She didn't feel like going back already, but Heather was away with her cousins — some sort of short trip to an old family friend they had sprung on her a few days prior — and only the gods knew where Hiccup and Eret were. The two men would either still be going about their jobs or retreating to a tavern for a night of mead and ale. If Hiccup's conversation with his mother had been only half as bad as hers with the woman, then she wouldn't see him before the moon stood high on the night sky and certainly not sober.

And for the first time in months, she felt lonely in the big town. Maybe she should have bothered with making more friends, but she had never seen the need to. And the more connections she made here, the harder it would be to go. It already pained her to know that she would have to leave her friendship with Heather and Eret behind when leaving. She knew that Hiccup felt the same, but that didn't make it any easier really. She dreaded to see the faces of their friends when they would have to eventually tell them about their intentions.

She dismounted her horse when the thorned hedge surrounding the manor property came into sight. If she came in through the gate at the front, everyone would know she was back and that probably meant running into Valka. And if she saw her mother in law again today she would probably do something that she would regret within the very same moment.

With a slap on the flak, Astrid set the horse running towards the front of the manor. One of the stableboys would see it running and fetch it. She had made sure to neatly place the rains over the saddle so they wouldn't think something had happened to her, but that she had merely grown tired of riding. Hopefully. She had done it like this before and the first time they had sent a search-party only to find her walking back a short distance from the manor. They shouldn't get too worried until sundown.

Astrid trailed along the hedge until she found a spot where the thorns were scarce and she could easily fit underneath the lowest branches of the hedge without too much damage to her clothing. Once through the hedge and with a few scratches added to her skin, she found herself in the little group of trees she used for target practice sometimes. The oak tree that loomed over the garden like a gently warden was where she intended to go now, though. She ran her hand over the bark, seeking the marks Hiccup had made in it during a moment of silliness.

H.H + A.H.

She smiled as her fingers found the carved runes encircled in a heart.

"You sure you wanna put our initials like that?" she had asked as he had sketched it out with his knife, pointing at the initials of their surnames. B for Bludvist would be safer, but Hiccup had just grinned and kissed the tip of her nose before carving away.

Astrid still didn't know whether the H behind her A was supposed to stand for her maiden name or her husbands. But she hadn't asked because it didn't matter. It was just a silly carving. And every time she saw it or let her fingers run over the marks in the bark, a giddiness spread through her gut and she felt like one of those sappy lovestruck girls she rolled her eyes at in town.

But this time, the giddiness, that warm feeling, was gone soon and a frown took over her face.

She knew Hiccup loved her. She knew it with the same certainty as she knew that the sun would rise in the morning and set again in the evening. But was it enough to justify pulling him away from the mother he had missed for most of his life? Astrid didn't know and it scared her.

Maybe doing this — leaving — would put a strain on their relationship. Because Valka was right about Astrid being one of the reasons Hiccup wanted to leave as soon as possible. And maybe, one day, he would question whether he had chosen right in not supporting his mother further. Maybe he would grow to regret all this. Maybe he would grow to realise that he didn't love her as much as he had thought.

Astrid wasn't stupid. She knew that love could crumble and perish like a wilting flower. She had seen it often enough on Berk. One day, a couple would smile at one another like the other was their whole world. And the next, shouts could be heard, unforgivable words were said, and the smiles never reappeared. It didn't happen to everyone, but often enough to make her worry. Especially now that Valka had succeeded in planting doubt inside of her.

Her knees hit the ground and she leaned back against the tree. She wrapped her arms around herself, taking a shuddering breath. She couldn't be responsible for Hiccup making choices he would later regret; not without her morality going on a rampage.

She closed her eyes and only then noticed the absolute exhaustion keeping her lids closed. She could handle physical exertion without batting an eye most of the time, but the emotional turmoil she had been ever since she had noticed Valka's sour expression over the breakfast table left her wishing for her warm bed with the blanket tugged over her head. But she didn't want to return inside the manor just yet. Not while there was just Valka who may or may not want to have another word with her. She couldn't deal with that without loosing her temper completely — at least not today.

She only noticed she had actually fallen asleep under the old oak because she was shaken awake.

"Astrid!"

Her eyes snapped open and she looked into the worried face of her husband. And before she could reorient her self, he had pulled her against him, arms almost uncomfortably tight around her.

"Good gods, you scared the living Hel outta me," he mumbled against her hair. His pulse was beating fast under her cheek, and his breath erratic. Her mind was just slowly catching up with the situation, but apparently she had caused him a great deal of distress.

"'m sorry," she mumbled, though she didn't yet know what exactly she was apologising for.

He away from him just enough so that she could see her surroundings. It was pitch black with just little faint light from the moon pushing through. Now she knew why he was so worried.

"What in Thor's name were you thinking?" He asked, his brows knit tightly. "I— They told me you've been missing! And— how long have you been here? Goodness, you're freezing cold!" He rubbed her arms, probably more for his own comfort than her own. She didn't feel that cold…

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I've been to the crater a—"

"Yeah, I know. I've been there too. Looking for you and worrying and— why did you not go back inside? Why are you still out here? One of the men found your horse, but without you. Can you imagine— Astrid, I thought—" He stopped and swallowed, eyes shining.

"I didn't want to go back inside," she said with a small voice and, looking back now, she should have just gotten over herself and gone to their chambers instead of falling asleep out here. "I must've fallen asleep. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

Hiccup dropped his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. His breath his her with every whispered word. "Don't do this to me, Ast. Please don't ever do this to me again. I can't— I can't loose you. Please, just— send a message or leave a note or anything just— something so I know you're not dead and where to find you."

She nodded and held onto him. This day was just getting messier and messier and she was read for it to be over already.

Hiccup pulled her flush against him again and kissed her hard with desperation laced into the way his lips moved on hers. The taste of alcohol was faint on him, much to her surprise, but she pushed that aside for the moment and allowed herself to completely melt against him.

When they parted for air, Astrid noticed dark circles underneath his eye and wondered just for how long he had been looking for her. She traced them with gentle fingers.

"I thought you'd be out drinking with Eret tonight."

He sighed. "I was. And then one of the men came and told me they had sent out a search party for you. They— had thought you just wanted to take a walk and had sent the horse back on its own. But when you weren't back at sundown, they got worried."

Astrid gnawed on her lip. "Well, I did sent the horse back to make them think exactly that. I just didn't plan on falling asleep. Are— are they still searching for me?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Got most of the personnel looking for you, Milady. Eret's out as well. One of the maids noticed you out here but didn't want to wake you." He cracked a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "She thought you may have your axe with you and didn't want to risk getting accidentally beheaded for startling you. I was just coming back from the crater. I told them they can stop searching, but I'm not sure how many have gotten the message yet."

Astrid buried her head in her hands. "Gods, I've caused quite a mess, haven't I?"

"Biggest search-party in a few years, I'd wager."

"This is awful. I need to go apologise to everyone." She got up on her feet only to find she had temporarily lost all feeling in them from sitting on them for hours. She staggered, but Hiccup caught her before she could fall.

"Easy. How about we get you inside first and you give them your apology tomorrow? I'm sure they won't mind waiting that long."

They walked back to the manor and halfway there a couple of maids hurried their way and huddled her into blankets despite her protests.

"Yeh've been out in tha' cold fer hours, lass," an older one said and sternly tugged the blanket tight around her shoulders. She shot a glance towards Hiccup who was just watching the spectacle, but did nothing to help Astrid fight them off.

"Really, I'm not that cold. I'll be fine." She looked pleadingly towards her husband for a little help, but he shook his head and motioned for the maids to continue.

"Nonsense. Yeh'll be glad if yeh only come down with a cold."

Once they were inside and climbing the stairs to the East Wing, though, Astrid shrugged the blankets off and placed them on a windowsill. Someone would find them and bring them back to whatever pile they had come from.

Hiccup stayed right beside her, his hand wrapped tightly around hers as though he was afraid once he let go she would disappear. He ushered her into their chambers and almost didn't give her time to even throw off her boots before commanding her to bed. He only paused in his ushering when the light of the alight fireplace hit her.

"Who did that?" he asked and she started.

"Who did what?"

His hand came to her cheek. "This. Who—"

Oh. Right.

She drew away from him and contemplated lying for a second. She didn't want him to be angry with his mother, not if their relationship was already taking great hits like she suspected. But she couldn't lie to him either.

"I," she started, but stopped again, torn between herself.

"Astrid, please. If anyone lay hand on you I need to know." And the return of the desperation to his voice was what pushed her towards telling the truth.

She sighed. "Valka and I… had a little argument this morning. I said some things I shouldn't have said. That's all."

The muscles of his jaw were working hard and he balled his fists. "So she hit you? Wha—"

"Hiccup, babe— It's fine. I've had worse. Really." She smiled at him and hoped it had a reassuring effect.

He gently cupped her face and examined her cheek. "It's not fine. It's bruising, Astrid. Gods, what were you arguing about for her to…"

"I think you know about what it was." Astrid sighed and relayed the events of the morning to him. There was a storm of emotions on his face, ranging from disbelieve over anger to a look of defeat she wished would go away. She didn't tell him their exact words, but enough for him to know both women had said vile things.

"I really shouldn't have said that last part. I— don't know what Valka's motivations are or what she's going through. But I was just so angry and—"

"No. I… practically told her the same thing this morning. I just hoped she'd just be angry at me and leave you alone." He stroked her cheek and Astrid wondered if it really looked as bad as he made it out to be or if he was exaggerating because of his seemingly endless worrying. And it wasn't like she never got upset when he came home with a bruise on his face or a dead look in his eyes.

"Maybe we shouldn't go," Astrid said eventually. "If your mother really has something planned… two more months aren't that long."

But Hiccup sighed and shook his head. "Do you know how often she's told me that? It's been 'just a couple months more' ever since we got here, Ast. Sometimes— Sometimes I think she maybe doesn't want to leave at all…"

 **A/N:**

I wanted to keep this one shorter. And I really tried to. But apparently I failed. And I could've easily made this one end on an evil cliffhanger with Hiccup still not knowing where Astrid is, but with the resolution of that problem being so… mundane, it didn't really make any sense. So instead I'm just gonna leave this one on some obscurity about Valka, isn't that also nice? :D

Also to that guest who said shorter chapters would be nicer because they couldn't seem to remember a lot about the previous ones… well, honey, the only thing I can tell you about that is that by now I cut the chapters where it makes sense for the plot and not where the wordcount demands. And if you feel like 12k chapters are too long, go look at other fandoms where even just one chapter will be the length of a fucking novel (I'm looking at you Voltron Legendary Defender!). Sooo… I dunno what to tell you other than thanks for still reading my story and liking it so far…

And on that note: Thank you again, all you lovelies, for sticking with me and reviewing and fave-ing and following! You guys have no idea how much your feedback means to me! I get so pumped to write more whenever I see a review, so please, please, please keep the reviews coming since it's kinda the only thing I get back from writing this. (And remember this for other stories too. Writer LIVE off of feedback and only you can give it to them!)

Alright, I'll be off now and write some more that's hopefully gonna be out before the end of the month :D and don't worry, a whole lot more drama is yet to come! (Like seriously, this was nothing compared to what I've planned… nothing… ya'll gonna hate me…:D )


	19. Of Goodbyes To Suffer

Hiccup's whole body ached. He wasn't used to fly for hour upon hours at a time. But Toothless was thriving in the air, gliding mostly, but his happiness was radiant and that alone made up for most unease while flying.

Hiccup stretched his arms over his head and his bones popped back into place. It was the second day of flying almost non-stop and his destination was only a bit farther down the seemingly endless stretch of the ocean underneath the little group.

Stormfly was beside them, but without her offspring. The young Nadders had left their mother to experience their own adventures. And hopefully they would one day return to their mother's side.

It had cost some coaxing with a lot of chicken to get the Nadder to follow him and Toothless so far away. Stormfly had wanted to turn back around on more than one occasion, chirping the melody she usually only reserved for Astrid. But Astrid wasn't coming along and he needed Stormfly as his ride back to the mainland. In the end, the blue Nadder had let out a sad caw and kept following them, looking lonely without her rider crouched on her back.

The temperature was consistently dropping the farther north they got and Hiccup was glad for the visor on his flying helmet that he had made for this exact journey. The icy winds were chill enough to freeze his face off, but with the visor down it didn't sting as badly as he knew it could. He had forgotten — somehow — that winter never quite left in the Archipelago. The climate of the mainland had been different and he thanked the gods that he hadn't decided to make this trip in the midst of winter. He wouldn't have gotten far without loosing a spleen to frostbite.

He looked back over his shoulder, though the view didn't change. He should have come up with a better plan. Or at least attempted to make this trip with Astrid at his side instead of having her wait back in Greuelorm for him. He grimaced at the thought of her reaction once he got back. He should really have told her he was going to set everything in motion and fly Toothless away instead of selling it as a trip he was taking with Eret to some other town.

Moron, he thought to himself. I'm a damn moron.

His temperamental wife hadn't at all been pleased that they were going to leave the way he had planned everything out with Johann two months ago. She had tried time and time again to convince him to think of something different, because surely there had to be another way instead of this. But Hiccup had stubbornly held onto his plan. And mostly out of spite; though not to spite Astrid.

Valka had been cold towards them— him for the past few weeks — leaving the room when they entered, glaring daggers at Astrid, and only ever looking at him with this completely disappointed expression and not saying a word. That she wasn't entirely ignoring his existence yet was a sheer wonder. But it hurt nonetheless.

"Whatever your plan is," Valka had said to Astrid one afternoon, completely out of the blue, "it's not gonna work. Believe me." And then she had gone while Hiccup had stared after his mother with gritted teeth and a set determination to prove her wrong just for the sake of it.

It was a stupid reason to clutch onto his plan. And Astrid was right — there were better options. But he wasn't willing to risk anything or wait any longer. He needed to leave Greuelorm behind for good already.

But he should have taken Astrid with him for this first part of his oh-so-ingenious plan nonetheless. That would have been not only the smarter decision to make, but would also have meant they were cutting time.

But he had also promised Eret to get him out as well. But that wasn't possible with just two reliable dragons. Stormfly's offspring were still not the size where they would be able to effortlessly carry a human, but they were even less likely to listen to any commands. After all, they were still somewhat considered babies — and dragon babies listened to no one.

Hiccup sighed. He had gotten himself and all those he loved most into one giant mess. And the only thing he could do now was hoping and praying to every god that would listen that everything would work out smoothly.

A small spot appeared on the horizon and Hiccup checked with the map of the archipelago he had made years ago when he had initially left with Toothless. The spot was too big to be a ship and the only landmass that would be near enough was the Isle of Frigga. The destination they had flown toward for the past two days.

"Alright, bud. We're almost there," he said and patted his dragon's thick neck. Stormfly next to them chirped and he made a mental note to shower both dragons with scratched and pats once they touched down.

The island was one of the only bigger ones in the Archipelago where no Vikings had made their homes. Used for some wedding ceremonies, no group ever stayed long enough on the island to explore farther inside than the dense forest bordering on the ceremonial beach. Most considered it a holy place where the goddess Frigga would bless unions or cleave them. And if that was true, then Hiccup hoped she would be kind enough to bless his and Astrid's union enough to offer them a place of refuge on the mountain in its very centre.

He had stayed there with Toothless once before, during a stormy night where the isle had been the only place he could find shelter and had found a cave in the mountain. The goddess hadn't seemed too angry to help him out then, but maybe this would be too much to ask of her.

They circled above the isle once to make sure no one was holding a wedding there. And they were lucky. The island was devoid of any Vikings and only a few scattered fire places along the beach gave any indication that there had been a feast not that long ago.

Hiccup guided the dragons towards the inner part of the isle, where the forest ascended into a mountain. The cave was just a couple hundred feet above ocean level, but easy to reach when you know where to go or fly. Toothless would have no problem reaching the lake or the sea from here on his own. Hiccup would have to take off his automated tailfin for the time so the dragon wouldn't chafe himself and end up gnawing the prosthesis off. But the slope down was no hindrance for a dragon to climb.

The sun was almost touching the horizon by the time Hiccup had set up camp and started a fire while the two dragons were down by the lake, fishing and refreshing themselves. When they came back, Toothless was gently carrying a large fish in his maw and offered it to Hiccup who gratefully accepted it, putting it over the fire to roast. The meal was meagre, but it would do.

And once he had finished it off completely, his eyes were starting to droop and he reclined back against the warm scales of Toothless. The cave was pretty well sheltered against the icy north winds, but he was still chill from hours of flying with the harsh wind tugging at his clothes. But eventually, the exhaustion from the past two days caught up with him and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, the warmth against his back was gone and only the thin blanket he had brought was keeping him warm. The fire had long since died down with no one to rekindle it.

His muscles were tight and sore and his butt hurt more than the day before. Once he was back in Greuelorm, he would make sure not to sit for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Hiccup yawned as he went to the cave-mouth, searching the forest below for the two dragons and found them again to be at the lake, getting their ration of fish in the dawn of the day. The sun hadn't even really started its ascend over the horizon yet. But the earlier, the better.

Hiccup wanted to be back as fast as possible just so he could leave again sooner rather than later. And he honestly didn't trust the town's master to ensure his wife's safety while he was gone. Or his mother, for that matter.

He still hadn't forgiven Valka for laying hand on Astrid. The bruise the slap had left had tinted her whole cheek in every shade of the rainbow for a while. It had drawn people's eyes when they walked through the town and on more then one occasion he had heard people whispering that he had hit his wife. But Astrid was quick to shut those rumours down, unafraid to tell people the truth of the bruise's origin.

Hiccup stumbled down the steep slope to fill up his water skin. It would be a long day of flying — again — and he didn't know if they would be able to rest on the same islands again they had stopped at on their way to the isle of Frigga.

Toothless was splashing around in the water and Hiccup's heart sunk. If everything went right, he would see his beloved Night Fury again in a couple of weeks — three at most if his calculations were correct and they weren't delayed. But Toothless didn't know that. The dragon didn't understand speech, no matter how intelligent he was, so there was no way Hiccup could reassure his dragon that he would come back for him. That when he went off on Stormfly, it wouldn't be a goodbye for long.

Hiccup allowed himself to watch the dragons play for a bit before going back up the slope with his refilled skin of water. Toothless had found a good companion in Stormfly. And hopefully that meant Stormfly would find back to him on her own.

That was one of the key-points of his whole plan. That Stormfly would go back to Toothless once she had gotten Hiccup back to the mainland. Maybe she would collect her offspring on the way to lead them to the remotest island of the whole Archipelago. If she didn't, Hiccup would not only have to think up half of his plan again on the go, but would also have to somehow break it to Astrid. And his wife would definitely not be happy about her dragon going missing just because Hiccup had failed to come up with a foolproof plan.

The sky lit up more and the grey of the transition from night to day made space for the vivid colours of morning. He should get going, gather the dragons and make the return trip with just one of the two.

Hiccup let out a sharp whistle and the dragons cocked their heads at him, pausing in their game of tag in the lake. Hiccup called them toward him and they dutifully followed him back up the mountain to the little cave, gulping down a few fish they had caught during their game and, again, Toothless offered Hiccup one of his catch. The simple gesture that was nothing unusual for the black dragon just made it so much harder for Hiccup to untie the prosthesis and saddle and store them away in the back of the cave. Toothless watched the whole ordeal with confusion in his intelligent eyes and then cooed when Hiccup — instead of unbuckling Stormfly's saddle — loaded his satchel and bedroll onto the Nadder's back. Hiccup swallowed hard when he stomped out the little fire he had made to roast his breakfast over. Then he turned to Toothless with tears in his eyes.

It was the first time he would have absolutely no way of seeing his dragon. The longest he had gone without Toothless ever since he had met him was two weeks and that had already been hard; but not deliberate. Now he was leaving his dragon alone for weeks on purpose. It broke his heart just thinking about it.

Toothless cooed again, earflaps down and wings tucked in tight. He reminded Hiccup of a child that didn't know what it had done wrong and thought it was being punished. Hiccup knew that feeling and seeing it reflect in his dragon's eyes was clocking up his throat. He reached out and Toothless immediately pushed his head into his palm. Hiccup dropped to his knees and hugged his dragon tightly while his breath was coming more shakily than usual.

"I'll be back for you, buddy. I promise," he mumbled into Toothless' thick neck. Toothless cooed, this sad sound that Hiccup absolutely hated to hear. He hugged him even tighter, not wanting to let go.

But eventually, he did. He scratched the dragon's nose one last time. "Please be careful, bud. I'll come for you in a few weeks. I promise you."

And then he quickly turned around and climbed into Stormfly's saddle. He couldn't watch Toothless cooing after them as he urged the Nadder into the air. Stormfly flapped in front of the cave mouth for a moment and Toothless made to take off along with them. But his wings couldn't pump him up into the air without his prosthesis. He gave a pained whine and Hiccup made Stormfly flap away a bit. Toothless tried again and Hiccup shook his head.

"Please, buddy. You need to stay here. I need you to be safe here. I— I'll be back, Toothless. It's just for a few weeks. I promise." And then Toothless crooned and whined and barked his frustration as his missing tailfin betrayed him in going with his human. The look of betrayal and hurt on his draconic face was so intense Hiccup's heart broke for his loyal companion. If only he could somehow make the dragon understand that this wasn't a goodbye forever. If only Toothless could understand his words. But he didn't.

Hiccup spurred Stormfly on and the Nadder reluctantly followed his command, cawing her farewell to Toothless over the wind. Hiccup ripped his eyes away from the struggling Night Fury with a sob getting stuck in his throat.

Only when they were over the clouds did he notice the wetness on his cheeks from his tears and he let the sobs he had been holding out. It felt like the heartbreak he was putting his dragon through was wrenching his own heart as well even though he knew it was just a temporary goodbye. Hopefully.

He prayed to the gods that he would be able to honour his promise and asked the goddess Frigga to watch over Toothless while the dragon was occupying her island. To keep him safe.

If something happened to Toothless while he was stuck on an island without his prosthesis attached, Hiccup would never be able to forgive himself for his insane foolishness.

=0=

Astrid paced the length of their bedroom, fists curling at her sides and her jaw grit so tightly her teeth were aching.

Business trip, my ass, she thought and threw a dark look to the side of the bed her husband usually occupied. He hadn't been in it for a few days, in fact.

"It's just a short trip to the second town over with Eret," he had told her. "Just to wrap some things up before we leave."

"Maybe you'll think some other plan up on the way," she had said, still clinging onto the hope that he wouldn't actually try to go through with the plan he had made two months ago basically on a whim when they had gone to see Trader Johann.

Apparently wanting to spite his mother had become too important to switch on the gears in his brain that she knew existed. But as of late, they had stopped turning properly and the result was Hiccup making stupid decisions that affected them both without even getting her input on the matter. And he had promised her he would think of a better plan, or at least try to come up with one. But if she was to believe Eret, he had done none of that.

Astrid muttered a mouthful of foul curses under her breath at her husband's stupidity and stubbornness. Then, she stopped, closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down.

She went back into the main room, facing the visitor who had turned up at her door just a few minutes prior.

Eret was still sitting on the couch where she had left him, shoulders drawn up to his ears. When he had come in, Astrid had initially assumed the worst; that something had happened on their trip to that town and Hiccup wasn't coming back. Well, turned out that there was no trip and that Eret had merely come a day or two too early. He knew exactly where Hiccup had gone.

And worst of all, he had gotten Heather to keep Astrid busy so she wouldn't be going to the crater and the dragons while Hiccup was absent.

Absent with their dragons to some fucking island halfway across the Archipelago to bring Toothless away. And without telling her.

That was what she was most angry about. Not that he had decided to follow through with the plan he had thought up. But that he hadn't told her about it and had felt the need to lie to her. And that hurt.

"When did he say he would be back?" Astrid asked tightly and Eret winced.

"He said he would need two days — three at most — for each trip. I— I thought it had been long enough already."

Astrid flopped down on the seat next him and snorted. "It has been four since he left, Eret. If he stuck to whatever schedule he came up with he should be back any minute now."

Eret side-eyed her. "Can— Should I leave, then? I assume you want to chew his ass out and—"

Astrid patted his arm. "Oh, no. You're not going anywhere. I want him to see he messed up the moment he gets back."

Eret cursed under his breath. "You know, I'm so glad that I'm not the man married to you." Astrid raised an eyebrow and the man quickly back-pedalled. "I—I— I mean not that you aren't a joy to have around and all. I just— Astrid, you've one hell of a temper and— I'm just glad that I'm not the one who— I mean, Hiccup's pretty good with dealing with you when you're pissed at him and— I should probably just shut up now." Eret leaned forward, set his elbows on his knees and held his clenched hands in front of his mouth.

Astrid groaned. "You're an idiot. But apparently, that's a common trait among men, so I can't really blame you."

"So glad. So, so glad you're not my wife."

Astrid punched his arm and frowned. "Fist of all, I have a damn right to be pissed off if my husband's being an idiot. Second, I have even more right to be pissed off if he's lying to me on top of that. And third, I'm not that bad, asshole."

Eret just eyed her warily and then decided to nod. "Whatever you say, Ast. Just please, don't come after my hide once you have his."

"Oh my— I'm not gonna kill you! Either of you." She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Really?"

"Really. Though I can't promise that you won't be deaf once I'm done."

As the day dragged on, Astrid occupied herself with sharpening her various weapons and polishing them until each and every one of the collection she had gathered over the months lay on the dinner table, shining and sharp as could be. Eret had watched her warily. A couple times the man had tried to sneak away and leave, but Astrid had caught him every time and dragged him back to the fireplace. If Hiccup did take a bit longer to make his gods-forsaken trip then she would tie Eret to the couch if she must.

It probably wasn't too fair on the man she had come to value as a friend. But she was angry and pettily wanted Hiccup to know for himself how much he fucked up.

Around nightfall — after the maids had brought them dinner up and Eret had wolfed his share down like a starving man — Astrid resigned herself to the fact that her confrontation with her husband would have to wait some more and she was about to get the keys to lock the door — so her unofficial captive couldn't sneak out on her. But before she could do so, the door opened and Hiccup came in, a greeting already about to leave his lips when he saw Eret sitting at the table and Astrid clutching the keys, looking expectantly at him, but not at all surprised at his return.

Astrid watched him swallow and close the door, his face going just a tad paler than it already was.

"He— Hey, honey," he brought out. "I—" He shot Eret a look, but the other man just rapidly shook his head. "Oh Thor, I— I can explain…" It came out more like a question and Astrid raised her eyebrow.

"Oh, don't bother. Eret already did." She put the keys away again. She wouldn't need them anymore now that Hiccup was here. "Just tell me this: was it necessary?"

Hiccup rubbed the nape of his neck and shuffled with his feet on the floor. "Um, ah, what— what exactly do you mean?"

"Lying to me," she said sharply and he winced. "Was lying to me really necessary?"

"I— I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I just— I don't know what I was thinking."

Astrid huffed. "That's just it. You weren't thinking."

Hiccup opened his mouth to say some more, but she turned on her heel and stalked into their bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her so hard, the shelf next to it shook with the impact. She heard him calling after her, his steps coming nearer, but she pushed the small shelf in front of it. Somewhere was a key to this door as well, but in her anger she couldn't remember where she had last seen it and instead locked the handle with a stack of books so it wouldn't open. Hiccup still tried.

"Astrid. Please, let me—"

"No! You deliberately lied to me and had everyone in on it as well, Hiccup!" She moved to the door to the bathroom and blocked it as well. He can sleep on the couch for all she cared right now.

"Astrid, ple—"

"Screw you!"

"I'm an idiot, I know that, but—"

"Damn right, you are. I can't believe you actually— ugh!" She grabbed a pillow and threw it at the door. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as she had hoped.

"Astrid, baby, come on. Please open the door."

"No." She tugged off her clothes and threw her nightgown over her head. She was way too worked up to find sleep anytime soon, but she also knew that if she kept responding she would either say something she would later regret or open the door and confront him some more. Neither of those she actually wanted to do.

Astrid climbed into the bed and tugged her pillow over her head, shutting her husband out. She still heard him pleading on the other side of the door, occasionally knocking or trying to open it, but she ignored it.

And after a while, he sighed and walked away.

To her surprise, Eret was still in the main room, probably sitting at the dinner table. She thought he would have left the moment she had shut herself into the bedroom.

"She's really mad at you, you know."

"Oh, really? Didn't notice that. I thought her locking the bedroom door and yelling was just her way of telling me just how damn pleased she's with the whole situation." Hiccup's heavy sarcasm was audible even through the thick walls.

Astrid buried her face in the cushions, but as much as she just wanted to ignore the two men, she couldn't help but listen.

"Man, you know what I mean. Just be glad she didn't sharpen her whole collection of weapons right in front of you. Seriously. That was so scary."

"I'm surprised she didn't use you for target practice."

"Nah, she just glared holes into me from time to time and dragged me by my ear if I so much as thought about leaving."

There was a beat of silence. Then a groan and the creaking of the couch as a body flopped down on it. Probably Hiccup. If he had just come back from flying four days straight then he would be exhausted and not willing to sit.

"I'm an idiot."

"Yup. Can't deny that."

"Why didn't you — you know — tell me just how stupid this whole thing was?"

"I did. But you weren't listening one bit. And also not thinking. I mean, lying to Astrid? That's about the most suicidal thing you could do."

"Next time I even mention ever doing that again, please punch me hard enough to bring my common senses back."

"Will do. And you should probably think about something to make it up to her. She's… I think she's more hurt than anything else."

"Gods, I know. If she were just angry she'd be chewing me out right now and not… locking herself away. I must be the worst husband in the whole world."

"Nah, don't be too hard on yourself, mate. You fucked up, yes. But have you ever cheated on her?"

"What? No! Of course not."

"Have you ever hit her?"

"Wouldn't dream of it. I don't have a death wish."

"Do you love her?"

"I do." Hiccup's answer had her breath stuck in her throat. It wasn't like she didn't know that. But still, neither one of them had ever admitted it out loud to the other. And hearing it felt different to knowing it. Not like it really mattered right now. She was still incredibly mad at him— and hurt; just as Eret had said.

"Then I'm sorry, but the award for worst husband in the whole world won't go to you."

There was the scraping of a chair being pushed back. "I'm going home," Eret announced a bit louder than before. He probably thought she hadn't been able to hear their conversation. "Try not to rip his head off, Astrid! He's and idiot, but an idiot with a heart. He just sometimes forgets he also has a head."

"Sometimes?", she mumbled into her pillow, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. "More like most of the time lately."

Eret's heavy steps neared the door.

"Oh, and before I forget," he said. "Johann's back in town. Arrived just this morning. That's— what I've actually come for."

"Thanks for the info," Hiccup said.

And then the door to the East Wing fell shut and silence took over the chambers.

Astrid tried to fall asleep, rolling restlessly in the bed that felt way too big for just one person. Especially knowing that Hiccup was right in the next room. The creaking of the couch told her that her husband was in the same dilemma as her; he didn't move around that much in his sleep.

For a few hours, Astrid managed to hold onto her chosen punishment for him — letting him be uncomfortable on the couch that she knew was too short for his long body. But well into the night, when the moon had surpassed its apex long ago, she heard a heavy thump and a restrained curse.

For a moment, Astrid contemplated just ignoring it and acting like she hadn't just heard him fall off the couch, but then she got up, shaking her head at herself. It would serve him right not getting a wink of sleep. But his tossing and turning was keeping her up as well.

Astrid pushed the shelf away from the door just enough so Hiccup could slip through, but not enough for it not to be a hassle. Then she slipped back under the blanket. A few moments later she heard him shuffling to the bedroom and poke his head in.

"Astrid?"

She didn't answer him. She was still mad and hurt. So she let him interpret this however he wanted. He said her name again, and when she still didn't acknowledge him, slipped in with a sigh. Astrid kept her back to him while he peeled out of his clothes, only the rustling of fabric giving her any evidence that he was changing into his nightclothes. The mattress dipped when he climbed into the bed next to her. His breath touched her neck and a tentative hand came to rest on her arm. She didn't stir. A part of her wanted to shake his hand off, another — less angry and hurt part that just craved his touch, his affection — wanted to lean back into him.

"I'm sorry, Astrid," he said just over a whisper. "I really am. I don't know what'd gotten into me."

Again, Astrid didn't say anything.

"Ast?"

She let him wait for her response a bit more, but then she swallowed. "Don't ever lie to me again," she whispered, eyes burning.

"I promise. I'm sorry." His lips touched her shoulder and he mumbled against her skin. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You should've thought about that before you did it." And despite herself, she leaned into him.

His hand sneaked to her stomach and he wrapped his arm around her waist, holding onto her tenderly. When she didn't immediately push him away, he kissed her neck. "I'm sorry."

"Is Toothless alright? Stormfly?"

"Yes. I— I think so."

"They better be."

"Astrid?"

"Hmm?"

He kissed her neck again. "I lo—"

"Don't," she said. She didn't want to hear him say it for the first time now; not like this. "I'm still mad at you."

He pressed his face into the crook of her neck and sighed. "You have every right to be. And I don't expect you to forgive me. I've— really acted like a — what do you like to call them?"

"Son of a half-troll, rat-eating munge-bucket," she supplied quickly over a yawn.

"Yeah, that one." Hiccup tugged the blanket tight around them and she didn't fail to notice that he gave most of it to her.

Astrid closed her eyes. She covered his hand on her stomach with hers in a light squeeze and interlaced their fingers. It was such a subconscious action that she only noticed it when he squeezed back. He left another tender kiss on her neck before resting his forehead against the crown of her head.

For the moment, she could almost forgive him.

=0=

Over the course of the next day, Astrid had let Hiccup suffer just a bit more. He had hurt her and she wanted him to know that she wasn't the type of woman to just accept his apology and be done with it, smiling again the very next second. So even though she had accepted his apology — all of them, really — she still wound out of his embraces quickly or let him meet air when going for a quick peck.

But by evening — when he huddled her in blankets and carried her to bed when she had fallen asleep a the table while going over the letter she wanted to leave behind for Heather — she was done with holding a grudge against her husband. And when he came to bed as well, she sought him out first, claiming his lips and his body.

And when they lay together in the bliss afterwards, she let him say those three words.

"I love you." He pushed an astray lock of hair out of her face, his vividly green eyes locked onto hers.

She smiled, her heart warming. "I know," she said and kissed him. He mumbled them again against her lips and whispered them into her ear when sleep pulled her away. He didn't give her time to say it back, so Astrid decided to wait for her own moment.

The next morning, Astrid woke up before him. And when he stirred — blinking blearily at her and still half asleep — she forewent the 'good morning' and instead she kissed the stubble on his cheek and touched their foreheads together.

"I love you," she said and watched his eyes widen ever so slightly before be pulled her close.

"I know." He grinned at her, mirroring her words from the night before. Astrid lightly punched his shoulder when she noticed, but couldn't stop a grin forming on her own lips.

=0=

The harbour of Greuelorm was filled with the cacophony of busy work, the bawdy laughter of sailors and crates being dumped onto ships. The warmer temperature of spring and cloudless sky made for the perfect weather to be at the docks and thus they were littered with people.

Hiccup and Astrid were looking for one specific person, though. Trader Johann had come back to port a few days ago and would be selling the wares he had bought in the south on the market until the end of the week. And when he left, Hiccup hoped everything would go according to plan and they were abroad his ship when Johann set sail northward.

A seagull called right over their heads as it swooped down to steal its breakfast from one of the many crates.

"Do you think Johann will keep to his word?", Astrid asked as they weaved through the docks to the part of the harbour reserved for the more common trading vessels. The big, palatially ships of the wealthiest of merchants coming to these shores were the first to be seen when going out the town gate and the farther away the ship docked, the lesser its worth or that of its owner. Trader Johann's vessel was right in the middle section of the stretched-out harbour of Greuelorm.

"I hope so," Hiccup said. "If not, we really have a problem."

Johann stood at the plank leading up his ship. He wouldn't be attending the market today; the middle of the week was always reserved for the display of cattle and other livestock that would otherwise run danger of ruining exquisite wares ten times their worth. The merchants usually took this day off for gambling and drinking starting as early in the morning as the taverns would open. But Johann had instead agreed to a meeting with them to go over some last-minute changes. Initially, Hiccup had wanted Eret to tag along as well — seeing as his friend was supposed to leave with them —, but he had been held back by arranging the ship crews for Drago.

When Johann saw the two of them approaching, he sent the boy who had been scrubbing the planks away, pressing a small pouch of coin into the dirty hands. The boy was gone in a moments notice, scurrying away to find other work at another ship.

"Ah, Master Horren, Mistress Astrid, what a delight seeing you so early in the morning." Johann opened his arms wide and then fell into one of his overly dramatic bows, inviting them up to his ship.

"We thought it best to come early," Astrid said by way of greeting, taking up the invitation and Hiccup followed suit, offering the trader a smile.

"It's your free day, after all. So the sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can go join the others in the taverns."

Johann waved him off. "Oh, don't you worry, young Master. I am not keen on wasting my gold on gambling with that… scum. I have my group of trusty players up north."

And that opened the discussion about their plan.

"First off, there's one mayor change I need to ask of you," Hiccup said. "Would it make a huge difference to transport one additional person?"

Johann shook his head. "No. As long as you're all able to keep quiet. I have a hidden floor underneath my storing floor that you'd hide in when the guards control the ship. If everyone keeps quiet, I could transport a large family down there. Numbers of passengers shouldn't be a problem."

Hiccup nodded, relieve washing over him. He wouldn't have known how to break it to Eret if Johann weren't able to offer him passage as well.

"Good," Astrid said. "We can keep quiet. Did you already receive the crates with our belongings?"

They had brought just a couple of small boxes with the things they valued most the night before to the docks, marking them as wares of Johann. It wasn't much, but enough still to make it impossible to carry it in a bag or two.

"Yes, Mistress Astrid. They are securely stored away and wait for our departure."

"What about the route we'll be taking?"

"No major stops until Outcast. I'll take you straight into the Archipelago and then puzzle my route back along the islands that await me."

"Outcast? Isn't that a little too dangerous territory?"

"The other option would be Berserk. And now that Dagur has taken over chiefdom, that's an even worse option," Hiccup said. He shuddered at the thought of possibly meeting Dagur again. The man had always been terrible to Hiccup when they were younger— using him for target practice was the least dangerous of all activities the new Berserker chief had put him through.

"Right. But isn't there another island anywhere near? I really don't want to set onto Outcast territory."

"Oh, don't you worry, Mistress Astrid— you won't need to. I have a small boat for emergencies that you'll be taking before I land in their port."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Since when is that?"

"I had my ship upgraded a little with the advance you so kindly gave me. And that didn't just include having a secret floor, but also a few small emergency boats. I came to find them incredibly helpful ever since crossing a few pirates near the Caribbean. Hohohohoho, that was an adventure I'd rather not live through again. Not only did they—

"Johann! Focus."

"Right. Is there anything else you need me to do before we depart?"

"Stocking up on food would be nice," Astrid said.

Johann nodded and held open his hand. Hiccup grabbed a few coins from his pouch and gave them to the trader.

"And I need to ask for a bit more gold than we initially agreed upon. Fees have been rising recently and if we want safe passage, I'll need enough to bribe some patrol fleets your stepfather has round the archipelago."

"How much are we talking?" Astrid asked, before Hiccup could grumblingly empty his coin pouch at his belt completely.

"Oh, another pouch or two should be more than enough."

"Then you'll get those once we're out on the open sea," she said determinedly. Johann looked like he wanted to protest, but thought better of it.

"It's a deal."

They went over some more details, such as when they should sneak onto Johann's ship and other minor things to make their escape plan work.

Hiccup was about to remind Johann again to cause some distraction when they would sneak over the harbour property and onto the ship, when a disruption on the docks arose.

He hurried to say, "If we're seen by the guards, not only will they be suspicious, but Drago will also send his part of his fleet after us. I know too much for him to just let me leave like that."

He looked up to see his wife already going to the railing of the ship to find out what the commotion was all about.

"Babe!" she called and he was at her side instantly. "Look at that."

The docks were being cleared and every one collected from the ships.

"Search every ship!" A voice that clearly belonged to Ryker Grimborn bellowed over the harbour. "No one leaves the port until we have him!"

"Who could they mean?" Johann asked, stroking his moustache. "If there was a thief around we would have heard already."

"I don't know, but this isn't good," Hiccup mumbled. If there was a man-hunt, then the controls on ships would be heightened for the next few days in case there were more accomplices to whatever crime had been made. And more controls would mean their chance of escape shrank.

Ryker bellowed some more commands, walking the wooden paths leading across the docks with his sword out of its scabbard. And then he stopped in his tracks and called out a name that let Hiccup's blood freeze.

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock! You stand accused of treason! If you hand yourself over now, no one else will get hurt!"

"What!" Astrid gasped.

Hiccup gripped the wood hard enough that splinters dug into his fingers. He was faintly aware of his wife shaking and trying to get him to move, to try to hide in that secret floor of Johann's ship. But he knew it wouldn't work.

The barking of dogs in the not so far distance told him that Ryker had gotten his blood hounds to help the search — the man-hunt. They would pick up his scent without a problem and even a secret floor wouldn't deter them.

"Johann," he grit out.

"Y-Yes, Master… Hiccup?"

"Change of plan— you leave now. You bring Astrid away from here as fast as you can."

"Hiccup, no!" Astrid grabbed onto him. "I'm not gonna leave you!"

When he turned to her, there were tears shimmering in her eyes. He felt his throat clog up at the sight, but he swallowed it and forced himself to stay calm. He held her face between his hands. "Yes, you will." She violently shook her head and tried to pull him away from the railing where anyone would see him if they came near enough

"No."

"Milady, if I'm standing accused of treason— for whatever reason — then the next thing they'll do is accuse you as well. I will not let that happen. Not if there's a chance for you to still get out of here."

A tear worked itself free from her eyes and she scowled. "I will not leave you."

Hiccup brushed the tear away with his thumb. "Yes, you will."

"No. And I won't let them take you away." She tried to reach of the axe on her back, but he stopped her hand.

"Astrid, please. I— I need you to be safe. And right now, you won't be safe anywhere near here. Johann will bring you back to the Archipelago. Find our—" he stopped himself short of saying dragons. "Find our friends. Go north to— to the Sanctuary. They'll know the way. You'll be safe there. Please."

Hurried steps came sounding over the dock of Johann's ship.

He saw the struggle in her eyes, the fight she wanted to take out with whoever was coming. But Hiccup knew she wasn't stupid and fighting Drago's General would be the most stupidest thing either of them could do. And she would know that they had more to consider than just themselves.

Astrid closed her eyes and leaned into his touch for a moment. Then she nodded, her whole body trembling. "Promise me you'll be alright," she whispered.

Hiccup couldn't. It would be lying to her and he had done enough of that this week already. So instead he just wrapped her in a tight embrace and kissed her hard. She sobbed when he pulled away.

"Hiccup! I know you're on one of these ships! I give you another minute to surrender or someone else will pay the consequences for you!" Ryker bellowed. It was enough to get him moving.

He looked at Johann and the man had — for the first time that Hiccup ever saw — a serious look on his face. "You make sure my wife is safe or I promise you will have consequences to pay."

The trader nodded. "I swear on my mother's grave that I'll see Mistress Astrid safe. And should I not be able to bring her to the agreed upon place, I'll bring her back to Berk instead."

"Good." He turned back to Astrid, taking in her sight, hoping it wouldn't the the last time or that he would have to wait another five years before seeing her again.

"I love you," he said, kissed her one last time as she said her reply and pried her hands off him. Then he hurried down the plank of the ship without looking back, knowing that if he did and saw the tears streaming down his wife's beautiful face, he wouldn't find the courage to surrender as Ryker demanded.

He met the guards halfway across the dock, holding up his hands in surrender as they rounded him up. It seemed that Drago himself had announced his true name to his General and the guards if they didn't even hesitate to arrest him. In all the years he had been living in Greuelorm, Drago's guards had only known him as Horren Bludvist and they had never dared to lay hand on him, fearing for their Master's disapproval of manhandling his stepson. But that had apparently changed.

They shoved him down on his knees, painfully forced his hands behind his back, and bound the shackles tight enough around his wrists to bruise and chafe his skin. But none of them bothered to make the small way to Johann's ship to round Astrid up as well.

"Well, well, well," one of them said, an ugly smirk across his scarred face. "Would you look at that. The princeling pissed off his dear daddy." The other men laughed and made Hiccup stumble to his feet and towards Ryker awaiting them.

Hiccup huffed. "Can't have just been me. That man must've been born pissed off. And for the slower ones among you, Drago's not my father. You know, that's what the awfully long name should've already pointed out to you."

"Quit the sass, boyo, or I'll break that pretty face of yours."

They shoved him forward and he almost hit the wood underneath his feet with his face instead if a strong hand hadn't pulled him up by his scruff. Hiccup looked into Ryker's grinning face.

"Nice little game you've been playing on us, boy," the man said. "Pretending to be Lady Valka's son and letting Drago adopt you and raise you like his own."

Hiccup stopped the snark reply already forming on his lips about the last part. His eyebrows creased. "Wha- What do you mean?"

"Guess what a little bird just told us. You've been pretending to be Valka's long lost son who came back after years of absence, just so that you can take over when Drago's reign is over," Ryker barked out loud enough for all of the assembled men to hear. "And that is only one of the points on the list of accusations against you."

"I— I have no idea who told you this utter yakshit, but absolutely none of that is true." Hiccup shook his head, trying to figure out who could have made this up, but no one came to mind.

"Ah," another awfully familiar voice said and Hiccup craned his neck to see Ryker's brother, Viggo Grimborn, walk up to them with his hands clasped behind his back. "I suppose he did the smart thing and surrendered?"

"Came running right from one of the ship, sir," one of the men who had arrested Hiccup said.

Viggo smirked. "I knew that threatening to harm others if you didn't comply immediately would get you moving. You just can't stand the thought of someone else being punished for your shortcomings— or crimes. Though, pray tell, where's that lovely wife of yours, Hiccup?"

"Right behind you with her axe, Viggo," Hiccup grit out and watched everyone whirl around to find nothing and no one standing there with an axe.

Viggo scowled at having fallen for such a simple trick and reared back his fist. Ryker held Hiccup in place as the younger Grimborn brother threw a punch at Hiccup's face, the fist colliding with his cheekbone hard enough to whip his head back.

Hiccup groaned as his world started spinning, in the distance, he thought he saw Astrid trying to climb down a ship. He swore he heard her calling out his name, but then another — rather colourfully clad — shadow appeared behind her and held her back.

"Ah, there she is," Viggo said as he massaged his knuckles.

"Shall I send the men after her?" Ryker asked

"Don't bother— she's of no value to us."

Hiccup blinked, trying to hold back the blackness covering his vision. His ears felt hot and he heard his blood pulsating.

"Leave her alone," Hiccup managed to bring out. And then another punch — this time to his gut — had him keeling over and the blackness won.

 **A/N:** (alternative title for this chapter: In which Hiccup makes all the bad decisions)

Fist off: Thank you all for the amazing feedback I got for the last chapter! I just read through the reviews again and I was touched to tears because you guys are all so sweet and precious! Also thanks to all those who decided to fav and follow! You guys all rock and the statistics I get honestly always blow my mind!

Anyway, this was a fun ride, wasn't it? I definitely cried while writing about Hiccup leaving Toothless on Frigga's isle (please tell me I'm not the only one!) And for those of you wondering where the heck this story is going next, it's conflict-island! Right through it flows the river of miscommunication and the mountain of bad-decisions is a rather cliffy terrain. Surrounded by the sea of drama and shore of guess-who's-to-blame, this island is the perfect place for a quick vacation that'll leave you never wanting to return again :D (alright, that was a bit over the top, but I just couldn't resist)

See you in the next one, lovelies!


	20. Out and Away

The dungeons were cold, clammy and absolutely miserable. Hiccup didn't know for how long he was already sitting on the cot with the flimsy blanket around his shoulders. The wall at his back was uncomfortable and its cold seeped into his bones, but lying down on the cot was even more uncomfortable.

He had woken up from his arrest with a headache pounding away at his skull and his mouth parched. The guard standing outside of his cell, overlooking the hallway, had refused to give him more than a small cup of water every now and then and a small slice of stale bread once since he had come to.

The shackles on his wrists had been removed— there was no need of them when he was locked in a cell and stripped of any weapon he had been carrying with him.

Hiccup refused to think too much of what had happened to Astrid. He just hoped Viggo's word held true and she was of no value to them so that Johann could get her out of town.

Which brought him to the matter of his arrest. Clearly, someone had fed Drago false information about him. And given that Ryker had barked out his full name, someone Hiccup had trusted must have done so.

The initial thought — as much as he didn't want it to be true — went to Eret.

Eret knew everything; starting at Hiccup's origin from birth to the plans of escape. And that the guards had shown up just as his friend was conveniently absent on a sudden errant for Drago, was suspicious to say the least.

And if Hiccup really had been betrayed by his best friend, he would find a way to make him pay for it. No matter how much it hurt himself to do it. But this betrayal hadn't just put Hiccup in jeopardy, but also his wife. If Viggo had given the command for Ryker to have her arrested as well, she would be in a cell as well, facing a trial for treason. And Astrid hadn't even gotten into this shithole on her own volition; she had been shoved into it and just tried to make the best of it. And the possibility of her suffering just because Hiccup was marked as a traitor made him more angry than anything else.

Steps sounded out on the hallway and brash voices spoke to one of the guards. Hiccup couldn't bother to listen in.

He must be down here for maybe two or three days now if he took into account the time he had been unconscious. And not once had someone come to talk to him or answer his questions about why he was being held in the dungeons under the town where only the criminals Drago despised the most sat in.

Drago had taken Hiccup down here once before, showing him around the tunnels and the dungeons. Hiccup knew that not far from his current location the Black Market lay; though, Drago had never bothered to show him that part of the tunnel-system. Hiccup had found out about it on his own when wandering the town in boredom.

A faint roar sounded through the tunnels.

Probably one of the dragons Drago held captured. Hiccup's heart ached at the thought of the horrible things the poor creature must endure at Drago's hands. He had heard it before — the roaring underneath the town — but had never found the way to its source.

Hiccup closed his eyes, trying to maybe find some rest. But then the men in the hallway drew near his cell and the guards keyring rattled. There was the sound of someone fumbling with the door and then it opened. Hiccup shielded his eyes against the sudden light being let in and squinted.

"Drago wants to see you," Ryker said and approached him.

"Hm, but what if I don't want to see him? Could I get a free pass on it then?" Hiccup croaked out. His mouth was parched again; the guard had forgone the last ration of water, claiming that if Hiccup still had enough energy to sass him, he would have to do without water for a while longer.

"You don't have a choice, boy," Ryker said and grabbed a pair of shackles from his belt. He made to grab Hiccup and forcefully put the things on his wrists again, but Hiccup was done being manhandled like that and got up with his arms extended.

Ryker frowned. "Arms behind your back; you know the rules."

"Well, last time I was shackled, I was being pushed and almost kissed the dirt. And I'd really like to not break my face because someone's tripping me." Hiccup sighed. "Look, I'm not gonna try to run on you or anything. Your men don't feed your prisoners well enough for that."

Drago's General still didn't seem that convinced, but eventually put the shackles on Hiccup's wrists. "You're lucky that I know you're not stupid enough to try anything. But one wrong move and your hands are behind your back." He shoved Hiccup forward and cackled. "Or maybe I'll just make sure you'll have a hand less to worry about."

"Eh, why don't you take the whole arm in that case? You know, would kinda keep the unofficial family-trend going."

Ryker whacked him over the head. "Which family trend? Drago's not your father."

"But he is married to my mother," Hiccup pointed out, ignoring the headache coming back from the hit to his head. "So that kind of makes him my stepfather."

"Have you forgotten already what you're standing accused of, boy?" Hiccup winced. "I thought your memory to be better. But maybe that hit you took from Viggo damaged something up there."

They walked down the tunnels until the temperature climbed above absolute-misery to something that could almost be called warm.

"My memory works just fine," Hiccup said. "It's just that— none of that yakshit is true. I mean, would you just look at Valka and then look at me. I couldn't deny my parentage when it comes to my mother even if I tried."

"Then how comes she didn't speak up for you by now?"

Hiccup had asked himself this over and over again already while passing the time in his cell. Sure, his relationship with his mother hadn't really been the best since their fight, but she could really despise him this much just for wanting another life… could she?

When he had first met Valka five years ago and found out that she was his mother, he had been delighted. Because not only was his mother alive, but she also understood dragons the way he did— even more so! That she hadn't once come back for him had stung, but her reasoning was… somewhat understandable and he hadn't been in the position to judge her anyway, having just deliberately left himself. Her coming back to Berk could have led to her dragons being hurt and the village putting her on trial.

Valka had wanted a life away from fighting and killing dragon and when she had found this she hadn't gone back to how things had been. She hadn't come back for her family.

Now, Hiccup wanted to get away from this live of hurting the creatures he admired so for the second time and she didn't understand or support him. Instead she had chosen to entirely ignore him and now wasn't even coming to defend him when he needed her the most. It was a betrayal that cut deeper than any knife.

Ryker shoved him into a room at the end of one of the tunnels. One of Drago's many private rooms strewn out across the entire town. The looming figure behind the desk was unmistakable Drago, his back turned toward them as he filed through a stack of papers of some sort.

"Leave us," the man said and Ryker secured Hiccup's shackles to the chair the young man was shoved into and then left the room. Hiccup had no doubt he would be waiting right outside the room.

"So," Hiccup said after a few moments of awkwardly waiting for his stepfather to acknowledge him. "Was it really necessary to spread lies about me just so you could have me arrested? I mean, you could've just waited until dinner and dragged me here yourself, you know…"

Drago chuckled low in his chest and finally turned around. He didn't wear his signature coat and his metal arm reflected the light of the torches lining the walls. "Ah, but then my men wouldn't have gotten the chance to search the entire area for you. I knew you were at the docks, planning your little escape with that silly trader. But it was the perfect chance to have my men search not only for you, but also for where you have hidden that little dragon of yours."

Hiccup blanched. "I— I don't know what you mean." He send a prayer up to all the gods who would listen that Stormfly had done the smart thing and flew back to Toothless.

"Oh, don't play dumb with me, son. We both know you've managed to hide it somewhere in the woods. Or the mountains. I've had men looking for it before, but none of them have ever been able to find it. But this time, I sent them out with the dogs and… other helpful creatures. Surely a dragon would find its own kin." Drago sat down across from Hiccup and braced his one hand on the table. "And guess what we found right in that little crater that is so fortunately hard to reach?"

Hiccup didn't say anything. This was a trick question. If Drago had found anything, he would tell him soon enough. Any word from Hiccup now could push Drago into the right direction of finding Toothless; even with the dragon half an ocean away.

Drago balled his fist and brought it down on the table-top hard. The items strewn out on it jumped and a few clattered to the floor. Hiccup flinched.

"We found an entire cave full of garbage," Drago said and gestured to a corner of the room. The light of the torches didn't reach far enough to properly illuminate the shadowy corners, but Hiccup could still make out the outline of his old saddle and other belongings he had kept there and hadn't been able to put into the crates on Johann's ship. Still, he grimaced.

"But this garbage," Drago went on, "must've meant something to you. And you know what it tells me? That you've been hiding your dragon right under my nose for years!"

Hiccup swallowed. "Yeah, but did you find the dragon?"

Drago scowled some more — if such a thing was even possible. "No," he grit out, "we didn't. I went there myself to make sure my men weren't just too stupid to find it. But whatever dragon you had kept hidden there is gone. So that leaves me to wonder: where have you hidden it?"

Hiccup forced himself to relax and lean back into his chair, although, it was hard with the shackles holding him in place. He shrugged. "I don't know, but I've always assumed that most dragons could fly?" There were a few exceptions to this, of course. Cave-dwelling dragons or sea-dragons didn't all have the ability to fly, but they were still considered dragons. The only unnatural exception was Toothless, and that was entirely Hiccup's fault. But he would never tell this Drago.

"Don't sass me, boy. I know for a fact that your dragon can't fly on its own. A mangled tailfin will do that to a dragon." Drago smirked as Hiccup paled even more.

Someone must have betrayed him. Someone he had trusted had given Drago this information. And there were only two people left in this town — beside himself — that had the knowledge to do so. Neither option sat well with him, but it only furthered the suspicion he already held against Eret. Valka would never do anything to hurt a dragon— even if she couldn't do the same for her family. But she would never do anything that would mean harm to Toothless. And that left Eret to take the blame.

"Who told you that?" Hiccup pressed out despite having his suspicions settled for himself. But he needed to hear it out of Drago's mouth. To have the suspicions he desperately wanted not to be true either debunked or confirmed.

"My source of information likes to remain unknown."

"Who told you!" Hiccup strained against his shackles.

Drago guffawed. "I will tell you once you've told me where that dragon is."

"I'm not going to tell you anything."

"Then I'm afraid I won't be able to share my information with you either."

"You really thought I would just hand him over to you just so that I'll have to watch you slaughter him?" Hiccup huffed and shook his head in incredulity. "That's just— pathetic."

"No. If you would cooperate for once, you'd find that I have use of you in my army. But only with your dragon." Drago smirked when Hiccup's brows furrowed in confusion. "Just think about what a great advantage I'd have over anyone with a legion of dragon riders at my disposal."

Hiccup thought back to the meetings with Drago's council he had had to attend. And every time, Krogan had pleaded for Hiccup to join his project up north, demanding his expertise but never saying what that should be. Hiccup had suspected it had something to do with the dragons, but he had refused to believe that Krogan was actually really trying to get his men into the air.

"Isn't that what you have Krogan for? You know, that maniac with the weird obsession with me?" Hiccup forced aloofness into his words, willing his trademark sarcasm take back over. If he showed just how panicked he was at the thought of Drago's men flying on the army of dragons Drago was putting together.

"Yes, but Krogan's methods… haven't proven to be fruitful yet. But you could change that."

"Because I'd be so willing to just give you access to a flying army, right. Just what the world need. A bunch of idiots riding dragons and burning down everything in sight. Great plan. Really."

Drago leaned back in his chair. "It's either you help me or I'll have you executed for treason. In particular, meddling with our enemies, siding with the dragons, and deception of me and your mother. I can also add spying for the Archipelago to that list, if you'd like. Maybe I'll send your father your head as a little gift. Wouldn't that be something? Just imagine Stoick the Vast finds your head in a crate after years of already believing you dead."

A cold shiver ran down Hiccup's spine. Honestly, he wasn't even surprised anymore about the amount of knowledge Drago had about him. It had been obvious that something was entirely wrong when Ryker had not only bellowed his first name, but his father's name as well. Hiccup had never so much as mentioned it to Drago.

Hiccup sighed. "I suppose whoever told you about my dragon also told you about my father? Great. What else did they tell you? Maybe that I've been the village disappointment most of my life?"

Drago frowned. Apparently, dry sass hadn't been his expected reaction to the threat of execution. "They've told me your wife's from Berk, as well. Though, that little piece of information came from a different source than the rest. I've known about your father for years, boy. You should consider yourself lucky and thank me for my mercy for not beheading you the moment you set foot into my city." The man stood up, towering over Hiccup even more than usual since he was tied to sitting in his chair. "But instead, you've been an ungrateful brat. It's no wonder your mother doesn't bother putting up with you anymore."

Hiccup's fists balled, though it was difficult and rather painful with the shackles tight around his wrists. "That's not true. She's—"

"The one who told me everything." Drago grinned triumphantly.

Hiccup's air was knocked out of his lungs at that. He shook his head, unwanting to believe it. She— she wouldn't. She was still his mom; she wouldn't sell him out like that to Drago. She— despised the man! Even if she didn't agree with his choices in life, she wouldn't…

But did he really know that for sure?

Over the last few months, Valka had been cold and indifferent toward him. She hadn't cared enough about him when he was just a wee baby — so why should she care enough now?

"Or, most of it, anyway," Drago continued as hot tears gathered behind Hiccup's eyes. He wouldn't allow himself to cry. Not right in front of that madman. "She's not particularly happy about your current predicament, but… I think her absence right now and lack of visits to your cell speaks for itself."

Hiccup swallowed hard as the imaginary knife Drago had just thrown at him was twisted in his heart. "You can go pay Hel a visit," he croaked out between gritted teeth, his jaw working hard. "And if you never come back, it'll be too early."

Drago huffed and called for Ryker. Within second, Hiccup was dragged out of the room and back to his miserable little prison cell.

"I'm giving you some time to think about my offer, boy," Drago called after them. "Assist me, or loose your head."

But Hiccup wouldn't need time to think about it. The answer would always be the same. He just hoped the gods would have mercy on him and let him see his wife and his dragon again in the halls of Valhalla.

=0=

Eret was arguing with the man standing guard in front of the entry to the dungeons for what felt like the umpteenth time. Of course, every time it had been another man blocking his way, but no matter whose face he stared into, he always received the same answer.

"No one except for the Inner Council is allowed access to him, sir."

Eret growled and punched the wall right next to the man's face. He knew that none of the guards were in any way responsible for this, but they were the ones he could argue with since Drago had refused to see him.

"You will let me in this instant or I'll gut you like a fish."

The guard shifted uncomfortably. All men belonging to Drago's army were well trained and capable fighters. But Eret was still better than most of him. Especially when he was angry and fighting for his friend and not himself.

"I'm sorry, sir. Drago's given the strict orders to not let anyone in he didn't permit. Not even Lady Valka." The guard nervously gripped the pommel of the sword at his hip — a lowly blade that probably wasn't even fit for his hand. The standard among the men. Eret's blade, on the other hand, had been crafted by one of the most capable blacksmith in the town; the same young man he had been trying for almost a month to visit in the dungeons.

"I'm not surprised he won't let that heinous bitch in," Eret said and kicked the locked door he wasn't allowed through. Valka had also refused to talk to him, sent him on his way herself when he came knocking at the door of the Bludvist manor once he had gotten word of what had happened. "She'd probably end up messing with whatever wretched thing he's planning."

The guard looked at him in confusion. "Ah, well, I still can't let you in, though."

Eret turned on his heels and left the tunnels before he accidentally punched the poor guy for simply doing his job. On the way out, he ran into a familiar figure.

"Hey, watch it!" Heather bit before she even looked at him.

"Sorry, Heather," Eret mumbled and tried to walk around her. Things had been weird between them since he had basically broken up with her; although, they had never been in a real relationship to begin with. Frequent lovers was a more accurate description.

Heather caught his arm and made him stop. Not that she was actually holding him in place. If he wanted, he could easily rip out of her hold. But something in her eyes made him pause.

"Did you have any luck?"

She meant Hiccup. Heather was just as desperate to get to their friend — even just to check if he was still alright and not wasting to his death.

Eret knew how bad it was for the prisoners down in the dungeons. He had served on guard-duty a couple times before there. And that now Hiccup was down there and probably wasn't treated any different from your usual street-rat… Eret had wanted to tell Heather that he would be fine. But he was usually a terrible lier when it came to that woman.

"No. Sent me away again. Any luck with your cousins?"

Heather shook her head and looked forlornly in the direction of the entry downward. "No. They won't tell me any more than that Horren brought this upon himself. That— he deserves being down there for being an imposter."

"Were you trying to seduce the guard to get in or why are you down here, then?" Eret quirked an eyebrow and the raven haired woman sorted.

"Don't be an ass. I already tried that once and it didn't really work. Inside are still too many to get to him."

Eret nodded. The dungeons were underneath the town for a reason. To keep those locked in and away that Drago didn't want to escape at all costs. Be it for gaining intelligence from them or because he needed to put together a better case for their trial. Common thieves would just sit in the the jail at the wall surrounding the town; they weren't important enough to keep a close eye on and it didn't particularly matter if they got away or not. But Hiccup was down in the dungeons, with no real hope of getting out of there any time soon except if Drago decided to set a date for his execution.

"I won't watch him die," Eret mumbled not particularly to Heather, but it seemed that she was the only other person to care at the moment.

"Neither will I," Heather said and then tugged at his arm to get him moving. They walked out of the tunnels together and — without even really giving any thought to it — headed not for his flat or a tavern, but out of the town completely and toward the forest.

Eret ran his hands through his hair and tied it back with a leather-strap.

"Astrid will kill us if we don't do anything," he said.

Heather side-eyed him. "You never told me where she went. Only that she won't be coming back any time soon. I— I honestly can't really believe that she would just high-tail out of here when Horren got arrested. It doesn't sound like her."

"No," Eret agreed. He looked around them, making sure that they were completely alone, just two friends taking a walk into the forest and not being shadowed by one of Drago's spies. Though, that didn't really matter anymore. "But it sounds an awful lot like Hiccup's doing."

Heather rolled her eyes. "Why does everybody suddenly call him that?"

She hadn't been around for the arrest, Eret reminded himself. She had gotten back from visiting a friend a week after the event and not believed one word about their friend's true identity being different from the one she knew.

"Because it's his name, Heather, darling. I've been calling him by his birth-name for years, but he couldn't tell anyone. Apparently Drago had some kind of problem with it."

"That's literally the lamest and stupidest excuse I've ever heard."

Eret shrugged. "But it's the truth."

Heather gnawed on her lips, at once looking troubled. "So… it's true then? He really is the imposter they paint him to be?"

"It's… a little more complicated than that."

"Then tell me!"

"I don't know if he'd approve of me telling you, to be honest." But Eret desperately wanted to tell her. He needed someone he could openly talk to without having to watch his every word. Astrid had quickly become his go-to person for talking about the young man they both loved — though in very different ways. But Astrid was — hopefully - safely away on a ship heading for the small island in the Archipelago to get the dragons and bring them to a safer place, herself included. The last thing Eret needed to worry about right now was his best friend's wife. Not if there were more pressing matters at hand; like getting said best friend out of a damn dungeon.

Heather swatted his arm hard. "I can't believe he told you everything and left me in the dark. I thought— we were friends…"

"That's— really not his reasoning, Heather," Eret quickly assured her. "It's just… you are still the cousin of Drago's second-in-command and general."

"Point taken, but I'm guessing he also told Astrid? How could he have told — whatever this big secret thing you won't tell me is — How could he have told a girl he just met instead of one he's known for years? I just don't understand why he wouldn't trust me enough to keep his secrets?"

Eret pinched the bridge of his nose. This was already more of a pain in the ass than he wanted it to be. But to get Hiccup out of the dungeons, he would have to secure Heather's loyalty and get her to cooperate even when things would eventually go awry for them. And having her not know about everything that was going on and what could be used against Hiccup — and them — was just plain irresponsible and not possible Eret wanted this to work. Even if he didn't yet know how to make it work.

"Alright, you know what? I'll tell you. Everything. But please sit down first— this is gonna be a long one."

Heather dropped down to the ground right where she stood, looking up at him expectantly. "Well?"

Eret sat down across from her. He would have preferred not sitting in the middle of a road, but oh well. "So. Hiccup didn't need to tell Astrid. Well, he did tell her a few things, but he never needed to lie to her about his identity."

"Why's that?"

"Because they grew up together. They both come from the same island in the Archipelago."

And then Eret started telling her everything. He basically recited the entire life-story of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third to Heather as well as he could remember it. She kept quiet the entire time, listening intently with tight lips and only her eyebrows giving away part of her emotions. When he came to the part about Toothless, Heather blinked, raised an eyebrow, but that was it.

She only spoke up when he came to the part where Hiccup, Astrid and then also himself had decided to leave this town behind. The reason why Astrid was probably halfway across the sea already.

"You all wanted to leave," she said in a monotone voice.

Eret scrubbed his neck and nodded. "Yeah. Some things happened and— it was the best solution for everyone."

Hurt flashed across her big green eyes. "And you never thought about asking me to come with you? Never— even considered that I'm just as desperate to get away as you all are?" Her eyes were shining. Eret froze. If she was about to cry, he wouldn't know how to handle her. He wasn't really good at the whole comforting-someone-while-they-bawl-their-eyes-out part.

"I… I… I'm sorry?"

"Asshole. I'm also not from around here, remember? I want to go back home, to my island, my brother."

"Heather, we really didn't mean to. But your cousins—"

"Oh for Odin's sake," Heather threw her hands up. "They aren't my cousins."

"Say what now?"

"I'm— I think I have just as much explaining to do as Horr— Hiccup. Or, well, what explaining you just did for him."

"You're not a Grimborn?" Eret asked just to be sure he had heard correctly.

"No." Heather brushed her hair behind her ear and kept her gaze on the ground — something Eret knew to be a sign for her being slightly uncomfortable. "I'm… the daughter of Oswald the Agreeable.

"Oswald the Agreeable?" The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

"From Berserker island." Eret jumped to his feet.

"Holy balls of Odin, what the fuck!" Berserk. Of course. Oswald the Agreeable had been the Chief of that island until his son took over a few years ago. And with that son, the trademark Berserker-madness had taken over once again. And Eret's former lover was the sister of the lunatic on their throne. He cussed again and pressed his fist against his mouth. She might as well have told him her mother was a dragon and she was a witch.

"Oh, come on. I didn't react like this when you told me that our friend's the lost heir of Berk and has a freaking pet dragon. A dragon!"

"Yeah, but—"

"No buts! Sit your ass back down and listen to what I have to say!"

Eret reluctantly sat back down, although he felt like pacing the entire length of the forest right now. "Listening."

Heather sighed and braided part of her hair that had come loose from her plait. "My brother — Dagur — should be known across the Archipelago and beyond as 'the Deranged'. But— that's not how he's really like. He put up an act for everyone to keep them away from us. Under father, we've had many allies, but also many enemies that tried to take hold of our island. I— was sent away when I was really young because one of those attacks on our island led to my mother's death and my family wanted to keep me safe. I grew up with foster-parents, but I still remembered my family.

"One day, Dagur came to the shore of the island I've been living on, the perfect image of deranged-ness and announcing his taking over chiefdom after our late father. I recognised him even after years. To me, he had always been kind and nice. So to see him like that was… terrifying. And when he came to demand me back, I was scared. He eventually got his will and my foster-parents gave me back to him. I was… about ten at that point. And when we were abroad his ship and sailing back home, he let the act drop and was the brother I had known again.

"All was relatively fine for a while, but he still kept me hidden from the other tribes in fear someone would try to kidnap me. He saw to it that I could fight well. And then we noticed the increase of Dragon Hunter ships in our waters. They were disrupting the work of our fishermen and managed to do more harm than good by having the dragons flee to our island. That's when Dagur heard rumours about the head of those Dragon Hunters being the Grimborn brothers— and that they had an aunt that had gone missing many years ago. Through that, we heard about Drago and his intentions about taking hold of the entire Barbaric Archipelago. I was sent here disguised as their long-lost cousin to spy for my brother. I just— never found my way back home again."

Heather looked exhausted as she finished her tale and Eret was left gaping at her. For a while, neither of them said anything and Eret mentally scurried to make sense of his thoughts and bring them into order.

"You," he eventually started and shook his head at her, "are such a fucking hypocrite."

Heather shrugged. "I know. But I'm a spy, so I had my orders from my chief and brother to keep silent about all this. Hiccup, though, didn't. He chose to keep silent deliberately."

"Still makes you a hypocrite."

"And you're still an asshole for not inviting me along for your great escape."

Eret rubbed his chin. "Could we please focus on the real problem, right now? I get that you're pissed at us, but I need you to help me, Heath."

Heather narrowed her eyes at him. "You wanna bust him out, right?"

"Yes. But I can't do it alone. Hel, I can't even manage to go visit him!"

"You know, breaking into the dungeons and fleeing may just be easier than trying to get to him with everyone knowing," Heather said and Eret groaned.

"Heather-darling, if you know how to do it then tell me and don't dance around it. It's been almost a month now. I— don't want to waste any more time than necessary."

Heather nodded. "I don't know how exactly we'll be able to pull this off, but I have an idea. Might be a little reckless and stupid, though."

"And I'm all ears."

=0=

Astrid stared forlornly at the horizon. Berk's familiar shape slowly rose from the distant waves and the two Viking statues proudly lighting the way.

Johann hadn't take her to Outcast island, hadn't even gotten near their waters.

"It's too dangerous," he had said. "I can't let you paddle over the ocean to wherever you had intended to go all alone, Mistress Astrid; Master Hiccup would never forgive me if something happened to you."

Astrid hadn't possessed the strength to argue with him because he was right. It was too dangerous. The distance between Outcast and the Isle of Frigga may not be as big for a ship to cross, but it was for a small boat. And she wasn't particularly good at navigating on her own out in the ocean.

The weeks she had spent on Johann's ship had been miserable. There was nothing for her to find distraction in and nothing to do to at least keep her occupied for long. She had probably done more inventory for Johann than the trader had ever done in his entire career himself.

So she mostly hung after her thoughts; but they weren't any better at keeping her company than Johann's awful stories.

She cursed Hiccup for not letting her stay with him — even though she knew he had been more than right about sending her away even if she wasn't able to get to their dragons. But that didn't cease the ache of not knowing whether he was still alive or not.

Drago could have done the most horrible things to her husband and she would probably never know. And she didn't even know who had betrayed them. Or why Drago had suddenly put out an arrest-command for Hiccup after years. It just didn't make any sense to her. At least it didn't when she continued to ignore the fact that there had been one person more than eager to keep Hiccup from leaving Greuelorm.

Valka hadn't been inconspicuous at putting out her warnings. She had time and time again told Astrid that whatever their plan was, it wouldn't succeed. If that wasn't a threat to manipulate their escape into failing, the Astrid honestly didn't know what was.

"Mistress Astrid?" Johann approached her and Astrid sighed. "We'll be going into port in a little while. Do you— How do you wish to announce your return to them? Your friends won't be expecting you back."

Astrid shook her head. "I'll— just walk down the plank and that's it. Why should I make a big fuss about it?"

"Ah, well. You have been absent for over a year. Does that not call for a welcome-back celebration?"

Astrid cinched her brows. "No, not really." She propped her arms up on the railing. "This… really isn't how I had imagined coming back home."

Johann patted her shoulder. "You'll see him again, Mistress Astrid. You've thought him dead once before and he surprised you. Don't you think he can do it again?"

"He's being held prisoner by who might just be the most dangerous man in the entire world. Don't you know what Drago did at that gathering of the chieftains once? Stoick the Vast was the only one to survive and his son's been living under Drago's roof for years. And I don't think Drago appreciates either of those."

Johann sighed and left her alone to ready the ship for going to port. Astrid had offered to help him with it before during the small stops at islands they passed, but he had always refused and did so again when they neared Berk.

So Astrid stood at the very front of the ship and prepared for stepping foot again on her home-island. She was excited to see her friends again — no doubt about that one — , but she dreaded the questions they were going to ask. She had decided long ago to answer any questions about her husband with mostly the truth and just leaving out the small fact that he was also their believed- dead heir. She would just use the name he had borne in Greuelorm.

But the very first thing she would do, was informing her chief about the threat looming over the Archipelago. They needed to be prepared for when Drago would eventually strike to attack the Archipelago. And he would attack, Astrid was sure of it. The madman had spent months — if not years — planning to bring together an army to take hold of the entire Barbaric Archipelago. And if even some of what little information she could provide may help, then it needed to be her first priority. Even before figuring out how to get their dragons off the Isle of Frigga.

And then she needed to figure out where her father was.

Her heart was torn about it. One half hoped Leif Hofferson wasn't on Berk and that she wouldn't need to face him again when she was already emotionally a wreck. But the other half — the more reasonable one — hoped he was. At least then she would know that she hadn't lost her whole family all together.

The docks were quickly drawing nearer and Astrid could hear the noise of it being carried to her on the wind. A sense of comforting familiarity washed over her and a sincere smile crinkled her eyes.

She was home.

Finally, after over a year and a half of being away, she was finally back home. Back to the place she had spent most of her life on.

Though… home wasn't entirely a place anymore to her.

Hiccup was her home, too. It was a weird concept to warp her head around at first, but part of her heart had stayed with him on the mainland. Just as part of it had stayed back on Berk when she had left it with her father.

And maybe one day she would get all its parts back together instead of feeling pulled in every which direction.

"It's Trader Johann!", one of the men yelled across the village, loud enough to rattle away the dead.

Right, Berk was the loudest place on Midgard even though its population never crept over three hundred Vikings. They were just as loud as they were stubborn. A charming combination, she thought in sarcasm; Hiccup's attitude had affected her a lot apparently. But despite Vikings not being the most easy little folk to be around, she still loved it anyway and gladly embraced this part of her culture.

The booming voice of Stoick the Vast bellowed from the top of the small port to help dock the ship and immediately men shuffled down the gangplanks to welcome the trader and his ship on the island.

Astrid kept in the background during all of it and let the men do their work. But once the ship was secure and the plank set up, she gathered up her satchel of her most important things and set foot on Berk again.

And was swarmed by people immediately.

The faces of her neighbours spun around her and she was being passed form crushing hug to warm embrace without really being able to catch up with it all. They didn't even leave her time to explain when they asked how and why she was back and if she was well. It was heartwarming, really.

"Oi! Let the lass breathe, ye vultures!"

And then she found herself being pulled away from the tumult by Gobber. The blacksmith pulled her against him and laughed and Astrid found herself laughing along with him, tears gathering in her eyes.

Thor, how she had missed her village.

"Haha! Almost lost hope tha' I'd ever see ye again, lass! Ye've had all o' us fools worried we'd lost our best shield maiden ta some lad on the main land."

"You can thank my father for that," she mumbled and then Gobber was holding her at arms-length, scrutinising her up and down, form head to toe.

"Ye havenae changed one bit an' so much all at once. It's good ta have ye home again, lass."

She offered him a smile and her old mentor replied with a toothy grin. "It's good to be home again, Gobber."

The blacksmith chuckled, but then his expression darkened a tad at once. "Say, ye havenae come back because… Ye havenae been treated badly, have ye? Because if ye have, I'll clobber them with me hammer!"

"No, no, Gobber. I'm fine. Really. There's just… been something that forced me to leave."

"An' it has nothin'g ta do with tha' mysterious husband o' yers?"

"No. But I do need to speak to the chief about it. Can you take me to him before the whole village is on me?"

Gobber patted her back and lead her up the docks. "Aye. But ye need ta tell me e'erythin'! Tha story yer father left us with— unbelievable. Ye've really been the price o' a gamblin' night?"

Astrid sighed. "Don't remind me. I haven't forgiven him for that yet. Not really."

"Ah, then maybe it'll be a small relieve fer ye tha' he isnae back yet from the south. Ye should have a bit time ta settle back in before dealin' with tha' ol' bloke."

They trudged up the gangplanks of the docks and entered the village. Astrid let her gaze sweep over the changes that the small village had undergone. Almost all of the houses had been replaced by new ones — probably more than once since she had last seen them. The plaza was covered in scorch marks and a handful construction teams were rebuilding burnt down houses.

"When's the last raid been?", Astrid asked. The damage looked worse than she could remember it ever before.

Gobber shrugged. "Just last night. We've been gettin' them almost every other night now. It's a wonder if we go a whole week without one."

"Gods above."

"Eh, we manage, though," Gobber said and Astrid knew he was lying. If the raids had gotten worse and there was also an external threat coming from the mainlands…

Astrid shook the thought off. That was something her chief would find a solution to. All she could do to help, was inform him of all that she knew.

"Then let's hope we'll be getting a break from the raids," Astrid said, trying to find the same cheerfulness Gobber laced into his words.

A raid meant she would be expected to fight along-side the rest of the people of Berk. Fighting against dragons — the creatures she had come to love. It made her sick to her stomach just thinking about it. But if the village was endangered, she would do everything in her might to protect it. Even if that meant fighting against dragons again.

She could of course also just try to approach them the way Hiccup had taught her, trying to find a peaceful solution. But if the Berkians didn't approve of such methods, she would be put on trial for treason.

Astrid couldn't let that happen either.

She needed not only think about herself and the village, but also the two dragons waiting for her to get them from Frigga's Isle. And to do so, she needed to stay a free woman and not die.

"Oi, Chief!", Gobber yelled and Stoick the Vast turned from the Vast emerged from a half-finished house, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"Gobber, I thought ye'd be down at the docks. Did ye not complain about yer low supply o' metal just this mornin'?"

Gobber opened his mouth to probably let out a snark remark for his chief and friend, but Astrid spoke up first.

"I asked him to bring me to you, Chief."

The chief's head snapped up and then he let out a booming laugh. "Astrid, lass! Yer back home. Just when we need our best shieldmaiden."

"Are the raids really getting bad enough that you can't manage without me, Chief?"

"Ah, we're doin' jus' fine with those. But it's the twins tha' keep me an' Snotlout on our feet all the time. Seems like yer the only one who has them under control."

"I'll be glad to be of assistance."

Stoick motioned for her to follow him and he led her up to the Haddock house. It had undergone just as many changes it seemed as the rest of the village. Nothing was left of the house Hiccup had still lived in. The thought tugged at her heart.

The decent thing to do would be to tell Stoick that his son was alive — hopefully — and that Astrid was married to him. They hadn't had a Viking-style wedding, but it still counted in front of the gods. And thus, she had become part of the Haddock household. But she couldn't tell her chief that. Or Gobber. Or anyone who struggled for years with Hiccup's 'death'.

It was Hiccup's call to make whether to let his father and his mentor know that he was alive.

But right now Astrid herself didn't even know that to be true. For all she knew, Drago could have just as easily killed her husband weeks ago.

She pushed the thought away and followed the two men into the Chief's house. They settled down around the table and Astrid didn't fail to notice the steps leading up to the upper floor. Like Stoick was still expecting his son to be alive and one day come back to him. And for all of their sakes, Astrid hoped he would do just that.

"Now, lass," Stoick said and rubbed his hands together. "How've ye been?"

Astrid shrugged. "All in all? Good. It's just the last few weeks that were— a little rough."

"Yer father married ye off; did yer husband not treat yer well? Is tha' why ye've come back ta us?"

"No, that's not— Horren is not the reason I'm back. Well, he is but not— ugh!" Astrid breathed through and stated anew. "The reason I'm back is because he sent me. It was getting a little dangerous and he thought it best to have Johann bring me back home."

Stoick's shoulders relaxed and he nodded, stroking his flaming beard, musing. "Yer husband sounds like a decent man."

"He is," Astrid said. "But his stepfather is not. He— framed Horren a traitor even though my husband isn't one. Not… in any way that was a threat. He wanted to leave Greuelorm with me, actually, but was arrested before we could get away."

"He got arrested?" Gobber piqued up. "Now tha' doesnae sound so decent anymore."

"But only because he was betrayed by his stepfather," Stoick reminded him. "Did I understand tha' correctly?"

Astrid nodded. "Yes. And… you probably know him. My… father-in-law that is."

Stoick raised a bushy eyebrow. "I do not think I know many men from tha' mainland, lass. Just traders or mercenaries."

"But you should at least remember Drago Bludvist."

Stoick leaned forward, the slight smile he had worn ever since he had seen Astrid gone in an instant. "Ye've met Drago Bludvist?"

"Yes, sir," she said. "And I had to live under his roof for the past few months."

The Chief's house was deathly quiet for a minute. Two. Then, Gobber tapped his prosthetic hook on the table-top.

"I donae like this. At all."

"Ye've lived with him?" Stoick pressed.

"He's my husband's stepfather. So, yes."

"Ack," Gobber drew a face of disgust. "Wha' e'er woman willin' ta marry that bastard must be delusional. And blind. Probably both."

Astrid didn't tell him that he had just insulted the Chief's wife. If Valka could still somehow be considered his wife since she was dead in the eyes of the Berkians and had married again. But who knew which marriage would be considered legitimate still in the eyes of the gods.

"Does Drago know about Berk, lass?" Stoick gripped the armrests of his big chair with a grip that had the wood straining and groaning. "Does he… still have his eyes set on us?"

"I'm sorry, Chief. But… from what information I was able to gather, I think he's about to attack and take over the entire Barbaric Archipelago. He's been building an army of both men and dragons for years. And when I'd joined his household, he was actively planning his attacks. I think he's begun setting whatever plan he has into motion."

Stoick jumped up from his seat and paced the small length of the house. "So he could be readyin' his army as we speak?"

"Yes."

"And ye're sure yer husband's not helpin' him with information ye maybe accidentally gave ta him?"

"I'm certain. Horren hates Drago. He suffered under him for years. The last thing he would do is give that madmen the means to hurt more people."

"But would he if his life depended on it?"

"No," Astrid shook her head vehemently because she knew that Hiccup would never tell Drago anything that would betray Berk or the Archipelago. "He wouldn't." Not even if her life depended on it. He knew better than that.

The Chief of Berk stopped in front of the fire-place, his back turned to them.

Gobber scratched his moustache with his hook. "So we got on one hand the dragons pesterin' us an' on the other one Drago Bludvist wantin' ta bring us down. Ain't tha' just peachy."

"Right now," Stoick said, "we wouldn't stand a chance against an attack. Not after all the losses from the dragon raids. An' I doubt Drago will march in here with just a small army."

"He's been speaking of legions, sir." Astrid hated to be the deliverer of such bad news — especially when she saw her Chief's shoulders sag. "He's been drafting his men from all over the northern seas."

"Add his devilish dragons on top of that an' he has a force ta bring down mountains." Gobber got up. "I'll be in me forge. Seems like we need ta stock up on our weapon supply some more." He left the chief's house with a banging door.

Astrid awkwardly shuffled on her chair. Should she leave as well? Or try to dig up any more information from her memory? But what little she knew wouldn't be enough to really sway their fortune. Hiccup was the one with the deep knowledge of how Drago operated and what was to come. Not her. She really should have bothered more to keep up with what Hiccup had told her from all the inner council meetings of Drago.

"Thank ye for warnin' me, lass," Stoick said at last. "I'll inform the council about it. I may need ta call upon ye later again, but fer now, go an' greet yer friends." He placed a large hand on her shoulder and looked on her with a warm expression despite the bad news she just told him. "I know they've missed ye terribly. We all have. Welcome home, lass."

Astrid smiled. "Thank you, Chief."

=0=

Hiccup felt like he might be starving. Slowly, but surely.

The guards barely gave him enough to really fill his belly; though, the rations had increased after his first talk with Drago.

Ryker had gotten him three more times and brought him to see his stepfather. Every time it was the same. Drago would ask for Toothless' whereabouts and Hiccup would stay silent. Drago would threaten him with execution and Hiccup would make a sarcastic comment on it. Drago would rub it in that Valka didn't care enough for her son to protect him properly and Hiccup would shove the hurt down until he was brought back to his cell. And every time, Drago would offer him to cooperate and gave him time to think about it and to think wisely about it. Hiccup began to think that the threats of execution were just empty promises.

Hiccup didn't know how much time had passed. But according to the scruff on his jaw, it had been way over just a fortnight. Maybe two. The guards wouldn't tell him how long it had been, either. Though, the meetings with Drago seemed to happen somewhat regularly. Maybe once every week? That would… put him in the dungeons for about a month or more. Great.

A month in which he had done nothing except bath in his own sorrows and try to live from meagre meal to meal. Sometimes, he could understand why some prisoners would beg for execution. He could hear their desperate screams every once in a while echoing through the dungeons.

Sometimes, his thoughts spiralled too deep into all the things that could have gone wrong outside while he was uselessly sitting on his uncomfortable cot. What if Johann hadn't kept Astrid safe as he had promised? What if his wife was in danger or hurt or… worse? What if Eret — who had not betrayed him after all — had been found an accomplice in the treason Hiccup was standing accused of? What if the dragons weren't as safe on the island of Frigga as he had hoped?

All those thoughts weighted down heavy on his chest, evoking the most horrible images in his dreams that left him panting, sobbing and with tears streaming down his face.

The only person not suffering a horrible fate in his night mares was his mother. Valka was always just walking away, leaving Hiccup and all those he loved to live through misery. He only ever saw her with her back turned to him or with a cruel smile on her face. The complete opposite of the image of a loving mother.

Hiccup would battle those dreams and thoughts with his memories. During the seemingly endless time he spent in the dungeons, he kept his memories close and dreamt up people to keep him company, to comfort him. In his thoughts, he relived the past months he had spent with Astrid at his side, letting the memory of her love keep him warm. He thought of the feeling of flying high above the clouds with Toothless, how the daring stunts always made him feel so much more alive. The close friendship he shared with Eret was the reminder he needed to to give up hope and break down completely. And weirdly enough, Heather piped in as his voice of reason to tell him that Astrid would be fine because she could take care of herself, that Eret would sooner go into hiding than letting himself be arrested, and that the dragons had the geography of the island and firepower to their advantage.

If Hiccup didn't know any better, he would think he was slowly loosing his mind. But he wasn't seeing the ghosts of his friends with him in his cell yet, so it couldn't be that bad.

Steps sounded in the hallway outside the small cell and the guard changed like they did every few hours. Another hint to tell him a little about how much time passed. They never spoke to each other. One came and the other left immediately with an exhausted grunt, passing along the keys. There was no doubt that some of the guards fell asleep during their shift, but not that it mattered. As long as they had the keys securely at their belt, none of the inmates would get out on their own.

A few minutes passed in which nothing on the other side of the door happened to keep Hiccup's interest. Sometimes, a new guard would bring the slice of bread and cup of water every prisoner got. But not always and not regularly.

Hiccup was about to get back to his day-dream, thinking up the lush green of the cove back on Berk and the sun to warm his face. With Toothless curled around him and Astrid resting her head on his chest. Just a simple moment of peace that was far-fetched from reality.

There was no rattling of keys to warn him that his cell was being opened. But when Hiccup opened his eyes to the sudden increase of light streaming into the confined room, he found a lithe form standing in the door way.

That was… unusual to say the least.

The guard — because obviously it had to be the man standing guard — came near him and pushed back the hood of his cloak. Her cloak.

Hiccup blinked and rubbed his eyes. "Heather?", he mumbled. That was it. He had started hallucinating.

She came forward tentatively and Hiccup almost sobbed when she spoke. "It's me. I'm going to get you out of here."

He shook his head. Dehydration was starting to play tricks on his mind. She— couldn't be standing in the middle of his cell. She wasn't a guard. Drago would never allow her to enter the dungeons. And— he doubted she would want to have anything to do with him once word about his arrest and the accusations against him had gotten to her.

"No, you— you're not here," he whispered to himself and screwed his eyes shut tightly. "You can't be here. You're not real."

There was a pause in her steps coming toward him and a sharp intake of breath.

"Hiccup," she said and that just made it all the wore. "Please look at me. I'm real." She was right in front of him now and he saw the tips of her boots when he opened his eyes just a bit.

"Here," a hand landed on his arm and when he ripped open his eyes — because a hallucination wouldn't be able to touch him - he saw her crouching right in front of him and he did sob this time. "I'm real, Hiccup."

The impulse to hug her — because she was the first friendly face he got to see in weeks — came over him and his body reacted before his brain could catch up. "Gods above, Heather. You're real. You're here! How— how-"

Her arms came around him as she hugged him back. "Pretended to be one of Drago's soldiers and got signed up for guard duty down here. And— hold on just a moment," she said and gently pushed him away to hold him at arm's length. "I'm sorry, but… you stink."

A fierce blush shot into his face and he quickly put more distance between them for his friend's sake. Another little part of being in prison: he hadn't gotten a bath in weeks.  
"Ah, sorry, I—"

But Heather waved him off with a huffed laugh. "It's alright. Really. I thought I'd find you in an even worse condition. I'll take underfed and stinky." Then she got up and beckoned him to follow her.

"Where are we going?", Hiccup asked but didn't yet follow her. The only times someone had wanted him to follow in the dungeons had been to bring him to Drago. And being betrayed by his own mother had made him rather suspicious of the intentions of those he trusted. For all he knew, Heather could secretly be on the side that wasn't specifically Drago's but also definitely not his own.

"Haven't you been listening to me?" she said in a hushed voice so as not to alert anyone. "I'm getting you out of here. Out of these damn dungeons. But we need to hurry. Eret's only able to distract the other guard for so long."

"Eret's also here?" Hiccup got up a little shakily. He hadn't eaten in a while and his head was spinning slightly from lack of hydration.

"Yes. Now come— we need to hurry." She grabbed his hand and tugged him along. When they were in the hallway, she locked the door to the cell again and told him to crouch down when they passed the cells of the other inmates. Each of the cell-doors had a small window at its top with metal bars in them. The only source of light in the cells came from that small window. But it was still large enough to give excellent view to anyone walking by. So Hiccup did his best to crouch down low as they passed by. Heather was walking straight, but with her hood drawn back up to cast most of her features in shadow.

Once they had left the section of the tunnel system with the cells, Heather took off in a light jog, but Hiccup had already difficulties keeping up with it. His head was spinning more and more and his stomach screamed in hunger. He hoped Eret wasn't only waiting with an opportunity to escape for him, but also with something to eat and drink.

"Almost there," Heather told him and they reached a set of stairs that wound up high and steep.

Of course, Hiccup thought. The dungeons were underground. Deep underground. And to leave them, they would have to somehow go up. He stared up the steps with dread. This wouldn't be fun. Not in his current state of being.

Heather scrutinised him. "Can you— manage?"

Hiccup sighed. "Don't really have a choice, do I? It's either this or going straight back to my lovely cell."

"Alright, then quit talking and safe your breath. And if you need to stop for a moment, tell me," she said and went up first. It didn't escape Hiccup that she had ditched the jog. He followed her up and pushed through, although he was heavily panting when they reached the top and his vision was threatening to black out. The dizziness was bad enough to let him collapse to the ground to get some blood back into his head.

Heather crouched down beside him. "You gonna be okay, or do I need to try carrying you the rest of the way?"

Hiccup willed his breath to slow down by taking slow but big breaths instead of almost gasping like a fish on the dry. His face felt flushed again from the exertion. He hadn't been this out of shape in years. He nodded. "'ll be fine. Just need— a sec."

"I'm sorry, but we don't have much time. Eret's systematically taking out guards and if we want to keep going undetected, I need you to hang on just a little while longer." She offered him her hand and helped him back up to his feet.

Hiccup pushed his misery away and kept pushing. But he wasn't paying much attention to where they were going anymore and just let her guide him. Having her keep hold on his hand felt like an anchor tying him to consciousness.

And then finally, they stumbled through a door and there were no longer walls lined with torches to light the way, but the moon high in the night sky. Somehow, Hiccup had expected to be met with sunlight, but of course his friends wouldn't try bailing him out in bright daylight.

Heather reached for something behind a bunch of crates and threw a large piece of fabric at him. "Put that on."

It was a cloak. He wrapped it around his shoulders and tugged the hood over his head.

Heather was tugging him along again the moment his features were securely hidden underneath the hood. "I'd give you a new change of clothes as well, but I think we better wait with that until you've had an opportunity to get cleaned up."

"That bad?" Hiccup felt horrible for the state he was in, even though he knew it wasn't his fault he was covered in a month load of grime and sweat and all the other things one got into contact with in a prison cell without being allowed enough water to wash. It was humiliating, really.

He couldn't wait to feel clean again and be able to shave off the scruff on his jaw. Or rather, his entire hair all together. He had probably gotten lice and fleas and all as well in the dungeons.

"Eh, you probably feel worse than it really is, but I just thought you might want to keep fresh clothes fresh a little while longer instead of having two changes of dirty clothes."

Hiccup couldn't agree more with her.

They scurried from street to street, keeping as much in the shadows as possible until they reached the gates of the town. Behind them, Eret was waiting with three horses next to him.

"Just in time," the other man said in lieu of a greeting. "I already thought the next guard might turn up sooner than you."

"Did you give the guards a good chase?" Heather asked.

"Of course I did. And they fell right into it. Though, some unfortunate thief is now being brought back in my stead. They never even noticed the difference and once they do it'll be too late."

Eret then looked at Hiccup and crossed the distance between them in a few strides. "Mate, next time you get yourself arrested and thrown into the dungeons, maybe give me a little heads up!" Hiccup hadn't time to reply before Eret pulled him into a tight embrace. He felt like tearing up right then and there.

"Would've had I known about it," Hiccup replied and let himself be held up — just for a moment — from Eret.

"Boys, as heartwarming as this is," Heather said from astride her horse, "we really need to get going if we want to catch our ship."

Eret clapped Hiccup on the back before helping him to get on one of the steed as well. Though, helping wasn't really the right word when Hiccup barely found the strength to place his foot in the stirrup let alone pull himself up into the saddle. Eret easily hefted him up though and Hiccup would have been embarrassed beyond compare if they weren't in a hurry and if he wasn't way too exhausted for it.

"Where're we going?" he croaked over his dry throat as Heather led the was in a quick trot. Eret passed him a water-skin and Hiccup downed its content in one go.

"The next town over. We secured safe transportation there and if we hurry, we may be able to board and be out on the sea before they even notice you're gone."

Hiccup nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

He didn't ask if either of his friends had heard of his mother. If they had they would tell him eventually. And Hiccup would also need to have a talk with Heather about what she knew. But right now, he was just glad that his friends had gotten him out of the dungeons.

Hiccup focused on staying in the saddle for the remainder of the ride. Just before the next town, they gave him the opportunity to get cleaned up at a small stream and Hiccup finally was able to get rid of the itchy stubble with a knife Eret had passed him.

And once on board, the sun was slowly beginning to rise above the horizon and their captain asked for directions. Eret looked at him in question.

"We didn't establish where to go. So it's up to you, mate."

Hiccup didn't have to think long before answering. He turned to the captain. "Head for the Isle of Frigga."

 **A/N:**  
So, this could've been up way sooner since I've had it finished within November, but this month is just crazy busy for my and I know I won't get to write as much as the last month or even the one before. So I decided to push this chapter back a bit just to cover the stretch better until I'll be able to finish the following one.

Sooo… I'm so not completely happy with this chapter but I just called it quits at the fifth time I was trying to revise it. Writing Hiccstrid separated is really strange and I don't think I covered the emotional turmoil both of them are going through as well as I could have, but I'm sick and tried of this chapter and I gotta move on otherwise I won't be coming back at all. So there's that…

ANYWAY, a huge thank you to all of you cuties who always take the time to review! I definitely notice all of the recurring names and I can't stress enough how touched I always am for the kind words I get from you guys! So thank you to everyone who follows along on the journey of this story with me! I always tear up reading all the reviews and they keep me motivated and make me happy ^^

So, that's it for this chapter, guys. I'll see you in the next one and hopefully before the new year! Have a wonderful christmas time and even if you don't celebrate it, I hope you have a wonderful last stretch of 2017! Take care of yourselves and treat yourselves to something nice because you deserve it!


	21. Little Prayers

Astrid used to think of her family home on Berk — no matter how many times they had to rebuild it — as the warmest and safest place in all of Midgard. The fire of the hearth would wrap the whole house in a cozy warmth even in the coldest of winters. And the smell of her mother's stew would envelop her each time she came home with a growling stomach from a long day of training and fire-duty.

That was how it had been all her life growing up until the wasting sickness had taken her mother away and along with her the warmth of the Hofferson house.

A dragon raid shortly after Haldis Hofferson's funeral had eventually taken most of the house as well.

Astrid hadn't been sad once she was told the rest of the house's foundations was gone by now, too. It hadn't been the same since over a year ago with her mother's death and it would never again be; so where was the point anyway.

Snotlout had offered her to rebuild it the way it used to be when she had stood before its empty spot in the rows of homes. She had refused and instead asked to make it as simple as possible. She didn't need as many rooms and as much space on her own as a whole family would; so what would have been the point in a big house anyway.

Over the last month, Astrid had tried to make the new house a little warmer — fill it with anything that could possibly make it a home again instead of just a residence. But the increase of raids easily destroyed everything she attempted and a couple weeks in to being back on Berk, she gave up. She simply stored her most precious belongings in a fire-proof crate and gave up on putting up any sort of decorations.

Simplistic, and not a home at all.

Astrid closed the door shut behind her and made her way to the Kill Ring. This early in the morning — after another raid just last night — almost no one beside her was up yet. Or outside.

The village was smelling like fire, blood and death. Like battle. The casualties had only been on the dragons' side, but that didn't help alleviate the sick feeling in her stomach at all.

She hated it.

There had been times when she was happy about it. Only dragons finding their end and the people of her village all alive. She had never particularly liked battle just for the sake and sport of it like some did. It was always honour-bound duty to protect the village. Now, she felt no honour in it despite the fact that she was still protecting the village.

But she wanted to protect the dragons as well and that was just not possible without drawing the wrong attention to her.

Every time the raid-horn sounded in the night and the swaths of dragons were falling into the small island, Astrid wanted nothing more than to curl in on herself and wait until it was all over. But she couldn't. Not without risking the lives of her people and the dragons.

If she could help it, she only ever hurt the beasts enough to scare them away. But these past few weeks had not been kind and she had found her axe embedded in a dragon's hide with killing force more times than she wanted to admit. Just to keep the village safe.

Sometimes she spent hours afterwards scrubbing at the beautiful weapon the get the stains out. She couldn't bear to see her husband's gift tarnished with the blood of the creatures he loved so much.

In the end, though, the dragons — as much as she had come to love these wild and usually gentle creatures — were just animals. And animals couldn't be put before Vikings in situations like these.

It was odd, though.

Hiccup had shown her the true nature of the dragons. They were shy creatures, compassionate, any only ever attacked first if feeling threatened. And they never dared getting into settlements of Vikings outside of the raids.

When Astrid went into the woods to practise with her weapon and she came across any dragon, she found them exactly as Hiccup had said. They weren't as playful as Toothless and Stormfly and the hatchlings, but still curious. And calm.

Nothing at all like she experienced them from the raids to be.

Something was off about them, but she wasn't sure what and why they behaved so differently.

Their choice of food to steal was also very suspicious.

Dragons ate fish primarily, but the raids always left Berk with a low on cattle, sheep and boars. Seldom did they ravished the chicken coop. Only ever the bigger livestock.

Growing up, all these things had never occurred odd to her or usual since it had been all she had known of the beasts.

But now that she knew better, she desperately needed to know the answers to that. On her own, though, these answers seemed as unobtainable as convincing Berk that dragons weren't vile and evil creatures apart from the raids. She'd sooner find herself thrown into jail than achieving that.

Astrid sighed deeply and hefted her axe onto her shoulder. The Kill Ring had two new dragons occupying its holding-pens; a Monstrous Nightmare and a Gronckle. Astrid doubted the Gronckle would survive long enough to be integrated in the training of the next batch of recruit, though. The poor thing suffered from sever injury and add the malnutrition they were kept on in the Ring et voilà! The dragon would be dead within the week.

Astrid still debated which would be better for the Gronckle — falling victim to its injuries or to the inexperienced wanna-be-warriors with dull blades.

She didn't have to ponder on that further. When she opened the creature's cage, it was already in its last moments amongst the living; panting pitifully and letting out agonising wails that made her heart ache in sympathy. She didn't think long before ending its suffering.

One precise blow to the neck with her axe, and the Gronckle lay motionless, dead before it could even notice the incision.

Astrid rubbed at her cheek to wipe the tears away that had come without her permission. She spoke a soft prayer for the creature to escort it on its way to the afterlife.

She would make the trainees of her class clean up and discard of the body. It would be good training, anyway since all Vikings were obligated to clean up the aftermath of a raid.

The door of the pen fell again shut behind her. The newly cleaned blade of her axe was stained. Again. Astrid took out a cloth and wiped away the dark blood. She would need to get it sharpened again by noon if not sooner. And readjusted, too. Gobber had taken good care of it so far whenever she had brought it to the blacksmith's stall. Always mindful to handle it with care and not get any additional grime on the handle. One look from him at the weapon and the master blacksmith had known it was dear to her heart and that it was made with remarkable craftsmanship. He had asked once where she had gotten a weapon of this finesse. The answer Astrid had given him was that her husband had gotten it for her on their wedding-day; not a lie, but also not the entire truth since Hiccup hadn't just acquired it, but made it himself.

She only hoped Gobber wouldn't notice the small signature inlaid in the metal where the wooden hilt was connected to the blade. The questions that would come with that were none that she could bear to answer.

Astrid set up the training Arena for the trainees; a field full of obstacles and hindrances. The goal would be to run the course fast enough while also hitting as many of the targets lining the walls of the Ring as possible. She run the course herself a few times, improving it along the way.

Stoick had asked her to help Gobber with the dragon-training. And while she loathed the days she had to set them on the dragons, days like this were her favourites. Fighting dragons in the raid wasn't just about knowing where to strike and which weaknesses each species had. It was also about not dying in the process from the chaos surrounding the raids. Many had found a rather unnecessary death because they had mindlessly stumbled over rubble or gotten hit by debris obviously flying their way. Those deaths were still tragic, but Astrid couldn't help but think that those were the easiest to prevent with just the right training and foresight.

Agility was key to survival, in her opinion. Gobber may have had excluded those things from the training session when Astrid and the others had been the trainees, but now that she had taken over the lessons, she made extra sure to teach the kids everything they might need.

Astrid threw her axe at the last target and dusted her hands off with a satisfied smile. She went to retrieve it and — just as she was about to pry the weapon out of the wood — a spear whizzed past her and embedded itself right next to her axe's head.

She whirled around to glare at whichever moron of her class tried showing off again. The first name popping into her mind and almost already leaving her tongue with an angry bark was Gustav Larsson. But instead of the miniature-Snotlout, she found Ruffnut cackling at her from the entrance of the Kill Ring.

"Thor's balls, you should've seen your face!" Ruff said and Astrid rolled her eyes. Instead of yelling a round of push-ups as punishment, she just yanked both weapons out of the target and threw the spear back to Ruff who easily caught it.

"One of these days, I might just make _you_ stand target. Just for the fun of it," Astrid said but her words lacked the malice anyone else would have gotten for pulling a stunt like this. With Ruff it would just be wasted energy. And she didn't really feel like being mad at the one person on Berk who — surprisingly — understood her the most.

She and Ruff had always been close by default, being the only two girls of their little group. Sometimes there were things the boys just couldn't understand or that Astrid simply didn't want to discuss with them. But over the last few weeks, Astrid had found a confidante in Ruffnut unlike ever before. She couldn't put her finger on what had changed, but there was a new maturity to the Thorston girl when she wasn't around her brother that hadn't been this present before.

But maybe they had all just grown up and that was that.

Ruffnut came to stand next to her, still with Loki's spirit in her eyes. But she wouldn't dare pull another prank on Astrid before midday.

"So, you gonna make the little devils run again?"

Astrid nodded. "They've seen enough dragons for today. I'm not gonna make them fight them again just yet." She gestured toward the pen of the deceased Gronckle. "But they have clean-up training as well. The Gronckle didn't make it."

Ruffnut threw a glance at the closed door and raised an eyebrow. A puddle of dark blood seeped through underneath it.

"Looks to me like you helped the beast not making it."

Astrid shrugged. "It was almost dead anyway. And no one should die suffering. Not even dragons."

Ruffnut was quiet for a moment and Astrid's pulse quickened. If her friend puzzled it together — the way Astrid avoided hurting dragons, fighting them, and couldn't bear seeing them suffer — she'd be in a whole lot of trouble. That was, if the Thorston girl told anyone about her behaviour and marked it as suspicious.

 _Damn it. I need to be more careful_.

But to her surprise, Ruffnut shrugged. "Whatever you say, girl. Just don't let one of the buffoons of the council see you showing sympathy for the dragons. They aren't your biggest fans as it is already. I don't wanna see you shipped off again just because those pricks think you have changed too much."

Astrid swallowed hard.

The council — especially Spitelout Jorgenson and Hoark — were always eyeing her like she was Berk's next enemy. They hadn't said anything to her face, but she had overheard them saying that her having lived in Drago Bludvist's household and being married to his son made her a liability. The fact that 'Horren' was known to them as the stepson of the warlord regularly slipped their minds. Or that ensured her safe journey back with Johann's official account for that tucked safely away in the Archives.

Like she would even _consider_ turning on her people to further Drago's cause even though she had been victim to his madness as well. But apparently, the reasoning she had given them for fleeing Greuelorm didn't do much to show she was not a spy for their enemy.

But she couldn't tell them the whole story — not without letting down and betraying Hiccup. That was his choice to make, not hers. But it also meant keeping secrets from Berk and the council had noticed she wasn't sharing the whole truth.

It was a mess.

All of it.

And she had the feeling that it would be all crashing down around her sooner rather than later.

Apart from that, Astrid didn't know for how much longer she could keep appearances up without her husband to lean onto. Her heart yearned for the day she would see the man she loved more than anything again-

A swift punch to her shoulder ripped her out of her thoughts.

"Girl, you seriously gotta get a hold on this whole zooming out," Ruff said. "It's freaky. And that comes from me — my middle name _is_ freaky!"

"I thought it was Eugene?"

"I'm pretty sure Eugene is Asgardian or Jotun or whatever for freaky."

"Sure…"

"Anyway," Ruffnut snipped her finger right in front of Astrid's face a couple times, "you should definitely go see Gothi."

A quizzical expression took over Astrid's features. "For zooming out? She's probably just give me some tonic or something to catch up on some sleep. I'm fine, Ruff. But thanks for worrying."

Ruffnut ignored her and mustered her from head to toe with pursed lips and a cocked eyebrow, hands akimbo. "Who knows, maybe your darling husband didn't leave you _completely_ on your own after all. Could've left a little gift for you. From what you've told me, there were enough sexy-times involved for it."

It took Astrid a moment to get her friend's gist. "You… can't be serious."

"Hey, you've been home for over a month now. And not once did you stay in because of the cramps. You did have mood swings, though. And damnit, girl, your appetite even puts Fishlegs' to shame."

At once, Astrid felt her knees give out underneath her and she only so managed to plop down on her ass instead of kissing the dirt.

"Shit."

Ruffnut sat down next to her and patted her arm, completely unfazed. "I could be wrong, though… when did you last have your moon's blood?"

Astrid desperately wanted to say a few weeks ago. But Ruff was right. She hadn't had the horrid cramps that always — _always without a fault —_ came paired with her monthly sufferings since she had set her food on Berk. And even before that, she couldn't recall having to dead with her moon's blood during the journey here on Johann's ship.

In fact, the last time she _did_ remember had been in Greuelorm still.

But she had been taking the herbs, hadn't she? They should have been in her tea every morning. Except…

Except that in the weeks right before everything had gone downhill, Hiccup and she had usually left the Manor before breakfast and Astrid had thus forgone her tea.

And they'd been intimate often enough to…

"I'm pregnant," Astrid whispered, her voice sounding too far away to come from her own body.

Or maybe she was just going into shock.

"Let Gothi make the diagnosis first before you make announcements like that," Ruff said, but Astrid didn't need the healers confirmation that she was… with child.

And it made sense, too. Sort of.

She had been too busy, too distracted to recognise the symptoms. But they were there and she didn't need Gothi to know it.

Astrid laughed. Though, she didn't know if it was a happy laugh or a desperate one. Or both?

Because being pregnant meant she would really have a little piece of Hiccup with her. A small consolation in the face of possibly never getting to see him again, but it was something to hold onto.

The tears came without her permission and she felt Ruffnut pulling her into a hug as she sobbed.

"I'm- I'm pregnant, Ruff."

"That's what we just figured, girl."

"I'm pregnant and H-Horren's not here. I don't even know if he's alive."

She sobbed harder and leaned on her friend for support.

"What if— what if I never get to tell him that he's gonna be a dad? What if my child never gets to meet its father? I— I can't do this alone, Ruff. I can't."

"You can. You're Astrid freaking Hofferson, kicker-of-asses and badassery-incarnate. And we're all gonna support you."

Astrid shook her head. She knew her friends would support her. But it wouldn't be the same. I wouldn't even nearly be the support she'd get from Hiccup.

"No, I- I need him. I miss him. I don't wanna do this without him." She snapped for air between sobs. "We-we-we had planned on starting a-a family once this whole Drago madness was over. Not— right in the middle- of it. And not— not— not-"

Ruffnut made soothing noises. But she didn't need soothing, she needed her life to make sense again!

"I know, but this is how it is now. And you can do this. Wasn't it you who said you don't need a man no matter what the circumstances? What did your Horren do to change that?" Ruffnut tried a more chipper tone, but failed horribly.

"Made me fall in love with him is what. And…" AStrid stopped, hiccuping which only made it worse. "And his name's not really Horren" There it was. There was no turning back now.

Her life was falling apart under her fingertips and she just need _someone —_ just one person — whom she could speak to without having to fear a wrong word coming out of her mouth.

"Figures. That's not even a real name," Ruff said and Astrid pushed away.

She reached for her axe, still crying and hiccuping. She turned the handle until the sun caught on the blade just so. She gave it to Ruff who took it with a puzzled look.

"Why're you giving me this? You never let anyone but Gobber touch it."

"He made it for me." She swallowed down her tears and her anxiety.

One person. Just one person who knew was all she asked. And she prayed to the gods that Ruffnut wouldn't freak out on her because Thor knew she was already freaking out enough for the both of them.

Astrid placed her finger right above the tiny signature.

HHH

Everyone on Berk had seen this set of runes at least once. There would be no mistaking.

Ruffnut sharply sucked in the air through her teeth. "Shitfuck."

Astrid ended up going to Gothi's after all. Not to get confirmation, but to let the healer do a check-up and see if everything was alright.

Ruffnut had many questions about it all. But they had been interrupted by the class slowly pouring into the Ring. So, the Thorston girl had made her promise to talk. Everything would go open-cards on the table in the evening.

Everything.

The dragons included. Because she wouldn't be able to explain Hiccup without also mentioning Toothless.

Astrid was playing a dangerous game telling Ruffnut absolutely everything. She just hoped it wouldn't backfire on her the moment she ended her tale.

She shuffled out of the Kill Ring right after giving her class instructions on todays lessons. Ruffnut would be overlooking everything in her stead, insisting that Astrid needed to prioritise other things at the moment.

Astrid's eyes were still a little red-rimmed and swollen, cheeks slightly puffy from crying. But she walked with back straight and head held high.

The whole pregnancy-thing had come as a shocking surprise and Astrid was still debating with herself whether to be elated or frustrated. With war on the horizon and the too frequent raids happening, it wasn't the time she would've chosen to be having a child. But she wouldn't let her uncertainty crush her, either. Or the fact that for the moment it seemed like she'd be a single-mom if Hiccup didn't manage to escape Drago's clutches.

"Astrid!"

She turned at the calling of her name and saw Snotlout hurry down the plaza towards her.

A few years ago, Astrid would've rolled her eyes and groaned underneath her breath upon having to talk to the stocky young man. He had flirted with her like there was no tomorrow and had never taken 'no' for an answer unless she let her fist deliver the message.

That had changed once he'd started his chief-training with Stoick, though. He had matured like they all had and had grown into a mostly responsible young man with a good heart but too much weight on his shoulders.

They'd talked when she'd come back. About what had happened on Berk, what she had experienced over-seas, the persons they had grown into. And one thing Snotlout had let slip that day had explained a great lot to her about him. Why he had behaved the way he had when they were younger and why the most eligible young man on Berk was still a bachelor. She hadn't said anything about it when it became clear that he had _not_ intended for her to know that part of him.

They weren't the tightest of friends, would never be. But Astrid felt like one barrier that had always existed between the two of them like an icy wall was gone. The uncomfortable tension was gone.

"I thought you were at the council meeting until noon," Astrid said as Snotlout fell into step beside her.

"I was."

"But?"

"Things happened. I yelled at my father. The council made a stupid decision despite the Chief, Gobber and I voting nay."

Astrid frowned. It didn't happen often that the council outvoted the chief. Usually, that would be the case if Stoick the Vast brought up another search for the Nest behind Helheim's Gate. But they were short on ships as it was already; a search would not have been centre of that vote.

"Should I be concerned?"

When Snotlout didn't answer immediately and just knotted his bushy brows tighter together into a single black line above his eyes, she stopped short in her steps.

"Snot."

He _harrumphed_ and kicked a pebble away. It skited across the plaza and eventually was stopped in its forward momentum by the cut up body of a dragon. The cleaning hadn't begun yet; the people were still too tired.

"I swear to Thor, if you don't already spea—"

"It was about you."

Astrid's mouth stayed ajar, the words of her half-hearted threat dying on her tongue.

"Wha-What do you mean, about me?"

If Snotlout were a dragon, he'd be snarling at doors of the Meade Hall. Instead he just glared daggers at it from afar. "The council decided that, as long as you're part of Drago Bludvist's household by marriage, you can't be trusted. You're not a citizen of Berk anymore."

Astrid almost broke out into a fit of laughter.

"That's— the most _ridiculous_ thing I've ever heard."

Snotlout held up a hand and grimaced. "Agreed. But that's not all."

"It's not?" She couldn't keep the sliver of terror from creeping into her voice. She'd just been basically declared Berk's enemy, and that wasn't all? Did she even want to know…

Snotlout looked at her with a pained expression. "Please remember, I voted nay on _all of this_ , Astrid. You're my friend and those assholes are all not in their right minds to even _suggest_ such things."

"Clearly." Astrid wrapped her arms around herself.

"So please, don't hate me for what I'm gonna say. But I'd just rather you hear all of this from me than from my father or someone else."

She swallowed hard. If Snotlout was going soft on her to deliver whatever had been decided upon, she was totally screwed. So she steeled herself against whatever was about to come. "Just tell me already, Snot."

Snotlout waited for a moment — maybe to find confirmation to his plea in her eyes or something — then nodded. "They want to 'offer' you reintegration. Make you a 'proper Berkian citizen' once more. But for that, you'd have to marry again."

For the second time that day, she found her knees wanting to buckle underneath her. It was a good thing they had stopped at a rather shielded corner of the plaza.

"What?" she croaked out.

Snotlout shook his head and gently led her even further away from the plaza and to the small house she called her own. Inside, Astrid slumped into a chair, not even really noticing Snot taking up the spare one.

"Why do they want me to get married again? To prove my alliance? Loyalty?" Astrid came out of her shocked silence and felt like screaming.

"Yeah, basically. Or at least that's what my father oh-so-eloquently barfed out during his little motivational speech."

Astrid plunged her nails into the surface of her crooked table, leaving deep scratched. A splinter got stuck in her finger, but she couldn't care less. "I'm not a fucking piece of livestock to be shuffled around by anyone who thinks they can control my life!"

"Please wait with the cursing and brandishing your axe until I've told you the rest, yes? Because there's more."

"Still!"

A bead of sweat rolled down Snot's forehead and he look a lot like he was about to have a panic attack. "There's a stack of papers already sitting in the Hall waiting for your signature. And… mine's… already on it." He mumbled the last part and Astrid didn't want to believe her ears.

"What!" She stood up and her chair hit the ground.

Snotlout took a shaky breath, not meeting her eyes. "My father always wanted you in the family. From the moment we were old enough to show our potential with weapons, he's wanted you as his daughter-in-law. I had no say in this, Astrid. None. I know how you feel about your husband and you know how I feel about women in general. I'd never have put my signature if there'd been another option."

Astrid was shaking.

Suddenly, she was back on Greuelorm, looking at that dreadful contract in the office above the tavern. Sold as a priced mare by her own father.

Now, the council of her home-island had sold her.

And she was angry.

"But— why? Why you?"

Snotlout laughed without humour. "Because they think that if you marry me and— bear my children, you'll be loyal to Berk not the Bludvists."

"I'm not a Bludvist, I don't have that name, I'm _not_ loyal to that monster." She'd said this often enough to the council. They should have known better. They should have known _her_ better.

"You're married to one of them." It wasn't Snotlout's own words that left his mouth. He was reciting the arguments he'd undoubtedly heard in the meeting.

"He's his stepson and never took Drago's name. Nor is _he_ loyal to Drago." She picked up her fallen chair and slumped down. The outburst of anger was already fading quickly and she was left feeling… hollow.

Her life was one big joke and the gods liked to toy with her by giving her one good thing only to then maximise everything that was still bad.

"You're probably widowed already. It wouldn't make a difference."

But it would. Because she loved Hiccup.

"You said I'd have to bear your child to show my loyalty."

A hollow nod.

"I can't."

"Because you're infertile or because you think I wouldn't be able to… consummate the marriage what with my… inclinations?" He sounded as empty as she felt.

"Neither. I'm…" and there the tears from before were again, slowly rolling down her cheeks. But this time without ugly sobs shaking her. "I'm already pregnant."

Snotlout looked up at her, his breath hitching. "How far along?"

"Three months approximately."

"They want a quick marriage. It could work."

She shook her head. "I'm not getting married again, Snot. And I certainly won't lie to my child about who his or her father is."

He nodded. "I know. You're not like that. But…" some life came back into him. It wasn't excitement though, but dread and terror. "Astrid, they are giving you and ultimatum. Sign the contract till the end of the week, or be branded as an outcast and traitor."

Astrid sniffed and rubbed her chest, right above where her heart was beating an agonised rhythm. "I can't, Snotlout. I just can't. And I'm not letting anyone else decide over my marital status ever again. If—" she sniffed again, the tears still slowly rolling. "If I'm really widowed already, then— I won't marry again. I have a husband and I love him dearly. And I don't want anyone else to take up that spot."

Snotlout nodded gravely, but like he'd been expecting an answer like this. "Then just hope we'll find a way to get you off this island before it gets really ugly. You'll be branded a traitor carrying the child of the enemy."

Astrid closed her eyes, a hand pressed protectively over her lower abdomen.

A week.

She had a week until her life would be going downhill once more.

And all because the council believed she was married to the enemy.

If only she had the guts to tell Snotlout and every one else that she was actually married to none other than their lost heir. Telling Ruffnut had already been frightening enough as it was.

Theoretically, she had already married into the most powerful family on Berk — the Haddocks — and this connection should burn any doubt there was about her loyalty away instantly. But put to practise, things weren't as simple anymore.

Snotlout left her to her own thoughts eventually with a hand sympathetically squeezing her shoulder as he went.

"Please," he said at the door, his back to her. "I know you have your mind set, but… think about it. I won't ever demand anything from you. I won't require you to call me your husband or anything and you can tell your child everything about its father. I won't ask it to call me dad. But please, for the love of the gods, think about it. If not for you, then for the well-being and future of your baby. We both know it's a cruel world out there for a woman with child and without a husband." And then he was through the door.

And Astrid cried for real again until there were no more tears left for herself. She wiped her cheeks clean, splashed her face with ice-cold water and put herself back together.

She still needed to go see Gothi. And then, once she knew that the little life growing inside of her was well, she would get her axe mended and go kill some trees with it. And for every tree she'd fell, she'd imagine one of the many people ruining her life until she'd metaphorically killed them all.

=0=

Frigga's Island was just as peaceful as Hiccup had left it. A couple empty crates and broken pieces of what had probably once been tables or chairs lay strewn about the shore, but none of them seemed recent enough for anyone to come back and clean up the aftermath of a wild Viking wedding on the goddess' island.

In the distance out on the ocean, the ship that had brought them this far into the Barbaric Archipelago was turning around to find its way south and then go eastward. The Captain had dropped them off a short way from the shore with a rowing boat that Hiccup would have deemed big enough to require sails, but apparently in the far east they had other dimensions for their ships and boats.

"Alright, Island of Frigga," Heather said and brushed the sand off her hands from hauling their boat ashore. "Are you sure your dragon is still on here?"

Hiccup rolled his shoulders and stretched his limbs. It was good to be standing on solid ground again after almost a month of being refined to the limited grounds of the ship. It was a large ship and it was definitely way bigger than the small cell he had been in for weeks before boarding, but solid ground and vast land before him were still way better. And slowly, he felt like he could breath freely again.

"That's what we're gonna find out now," he eventually said and walked up the beach. He usually wasn't very fond of sand, but in that moment he couldn't imagine anything feeling better under his feet.

Eret and Heather were at his side and following his path immediately. The other man clapped him on the shoulder. "And if Toothless isn't here, then we just lost our means of safe transportation." Eret pointed with his thumb over his shoulder to the ocean. "Wouldn't be getting far with only that little nutshell."

Hiccup side-eyed his best friend. "Wow. Really spreading the positivity here, are we?"

Eret puffed his cheeks. "Just saying, mate. I mean, there's definitely enough wood on this island - tiny as it may be — to built a massive ship, all new and shiny. But— " Eret brushed a low hanging branch out of the way as they stepped deeper into the forest, "that won't get us very far without nails or rope or sails. We'd be stuck here until the next wedding party arrived. And even then it's questionable whether they'd actually help us or just kill us for good spirit."

Hiccup furrowed his brows. "You do know that killing on a goddess' island is a crime, right? No one in their right mind would risk having her wrath on them."

Heather nodded. "You're right. We wouldn't be killed right here. But they could technically take us with them and then throw us overboard to get a good show. And that's if we get lucky. I've seen men do worse than that."

"Alright," Hiccup said, irritated by his friends' paranoia. "Let's think about all that later should Toothless and Stormfly really not be here anymore." He picked up his pace and manoeuvred through the denser getting trees and undergrowth. One eye he always kept on the looming mountain in the isle's centre, even when the path steepened noticeably and even a blind person would find their way up the mountainside.

At some point, Heather and Eret hung back a bit, talking in hushed voices, but Hiccup couldn't care less. If they wanted to chit-chat about him or whatever they deemed none of his business, then so be it. He was actually grateful to let his mind wander during the trek. He hadn't allowed himself to do so much on the way to Frigg's Isle. There was always the possibility of never actually arriving here and a wandering mind would easily seek out all the possible ways things could take a turn for the worst. Hiccup had especially avoided thinking about what _had_ happened and gone wrong.

But now, he was back in the Barbaric Archipelago, solid ground under his feet and with more energy and hope than he'd had for months. He was regaining his confidence in a brighter future to come and wouldn't let this feeling be ruined by Eret's paranoia. Not for the moment at least. And if that was being unrealistic of him, then he'd deal with it later.

They came across a small clearing and the trees shaped an almost perfect circle around a cluster of flowers. The sun was high in the sky and tipping the temperature from the soft chill of the forest to the warmth of spring.

On Berk, there was a similar clearing; just a short way off Raven's Point.

A memory sprang to the forefront of his mind.

Astrid at the age of fourteen tumbling and somersaulting across the clearing and throwing her axe at the trees with deadly precision. The sun reflecting off the metal and her golden hair, painting the scene in his mind in a mesmerising glow. When he had come across it six years prior, Hiccup had stopped in his tracks and taken a moment to admire her from afar while she hadn't noticed him.

Now, he didn't stop. But he let the memory wash over him with a smile on his lips and longing in his heart.

He missed her. Terribly.

And not knowing if she had really made it safely back to Berk — as he had demanded from Johann — only made it worse. Even if he knew that his wife could take car of herself better than anyone else could.

Hiccup couldn't wait for the day that he would get to hold her in his arms again, kiss her, and tell her again and again how much he loved her because the gods knew he hadn't done so nearly enough during their time together.

He promised in a quick prayer to the goddess of this island to do all that and more to be the husband Astrid deserved if he would be granted her help in reuniting with the woman he loved.

They would have to fight and struggle some more — a _lot_ more — to actually live a peaceful life. And Drago's invasion on the Archipelago was only one of the obstacles in the way. But Hiccup would do everything in his might to get them there.

The sun was about to make its descend back down th sky whne they came across a narrow river running through the forest and they stopped for a while. Eret flopped down onto the grass, spreading his limbs from him and sighed so loudly Hiccup exchanged an amused glance with Heather.

"Gods above; he stopped! Thank you, Frigga, for making him stop," Eret said and grinned up into the trees' crowns. "I think my feet are about to fall off."

"You okay, or have the weeks on sea eaten away your sanity?", Heather asked, but dropped down next to Eret and pulled off her boots.

Hiccup joined his friends on the ground and only when he eased the satchel full of supplies off his shoulder did he notice just how exhausting the trek had been so far. They had gotten onto the island some time between morning and noon and now evening was fast approaching already. Only a few more hours and nightfall would plunge the forest in pitch black.

"I'm sane, alright. But I think Mister Head-In-The-Clouds over there has forgotten his rational mind somewhere," Eret said and waved at Hiccup. He snorted in response.

"You could've just told me you wanted to take a break, you know. But I can't read minds."

"No sane person goes on walking up a mountain with that pace you put on for _hours_ at a time, mate."

Hiccup flicked his finger against his friend's head, but he didn't argue. He _had_ pushed it a little too far.

"Alright, boys. Before you start bickering like an old married couple just because Hiccup's niffy that he doesn't have his wife for comfort-cuddles," Heather grabbed the three bags they had brought with them — filled with just the essentials to survive long enough — and spread out their food. "— Why don't we eat and rest for a while and then continue looking for those dragons."

And they did exactly that.

During the resting part, Eret actually dozed off; a half eaten slice of buttered bread resting on his chest, about to slip down with every breath. Usually, Hiccup would seize an opportunity like this to pull a little prank on his best friend — putting sticks and leaves into the long, pulled back hair was always a classic — but an arched eyebrow and unimpressed look from Heather was enough to put the tiny pebble Hiccup had contemplated flipping into Eret's opened mouth back down.

"You two are like little kids." Heather shook her head, caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement. "Nothing but nonesense in those big heads of yours."

Hiccup flashed her a grin. "If we're so unbearably childish, then why do you like us so much?"

Heather huffed. "Whoever said I do?" But the smile tugging at her lips gave her away and Hiccup nudged her in the side.

"Alright, maybe I just endure you because neither of you expect me to be one of those awfully snobbish girls with nothing other than the latest gossip and fashion trends in mind," she said.

"But for you not being one of them you and Astrid were rather busy keeping up with all that."

"Maybe. But the difference is that we are interested in other things next to that as well," Heather pointed out and in one fluid movement pulled one of her daggers out from _somewhere_ between her clothes. How she did that was a mystery to Hiccup even after years of seeing her perform this little trick. Heather let the blade dance through her finger, never once nicking her skin. Hiccup laughed.

But as soon as the good mood had made him laugh freely, it was gone again and suddenly the small stream flowing next to them was rather interesting.

This time, it was Heather who nudged _him_ in the side, the dancing dagger already gone again.

"Hey," she said as he drew his legs up to rest his chin on his knees. "You miss her, don't you? And you're worrying."

Hiccup snorted. "No, how would you ever think that?", he said dryly, trying to play off just _how_ badly he missed Astrid and how terrified he was of possibly never seeing her again with sarcasm. But even to his own ears it sounded drained.

"Idiot," Heather chided him softly. "Sassing me won't make you feel any better."

"Sorry," he said and he meant it. "It's just…"

"I know. You love her and you don't know if she's well or not. It's okay to admit that."

Hiccup nodded and plugged out a handful of the grass growing along the river. He picked at each single stem until he had ripped it apart into tiny bits, a frown creasing his face as he did so.

When he was done, he sighed and threw the whole pile aside. And even though a good amount of the shredded grass accidentally landed on Eret's face, it didn't help chasing away the negativity fogging his mind.

"I just wish I could've left with her, you know?" He eventually said. "If I had asked Johann to leave earlier, maybe all of this could have been avoided. I wouldn't have had to send her away on her own. I wouldn't have to believe my own mother betrayed me by ratting me out to Drago." Another handful of grass fell victim to his restlessness.

Heather watched him carefully. "Are you sure it was her, though? You never told us _how_ you even know that. So, how can you be so sure?"

"She never even attempted to come visit me — you and Eret told me as much. And besides Eret, Valka was the only one to know of Astrid's and my plan to leave. We never discussed specifics at the Manor, but she must have noticed we were just about to be gone. She… she didn't like the idea to begin with. So when Drago told me it was her and that she had spun a whole bunch of lies around me, it sadly all added up."

"And how do you know that Drago wasn't just manipulating you to break you?"

"Mindgames aren't really his thing, Heather. You should know that that's kinda more Viggo's thing and you told me that he was on some kind of recruiting mission again."

Heather nodded, but Hiccup didn't fail to catch the bothered look flashing up on her face. In the blink of an eye, though, it was gone again.

"What?" he asked. She shook her head and waved it away.

"No, seriously," Hiccup pressed on. "I just told you about all that's bothering me. So please, tell me what's bothering _you_."

Heather groaned. "I just really don't like family feuds and holding grudges, alright? And you seem pretty much like you hate your mom now and I just… I think you should just be grateful to even _have_ a mom to get angry at."

Hiccup blinked, not really understanding the problem his friend had at first. But then he thought back to what she had told him about her family-situation. Grown up with fosterparents, thinking that her brother was some kind of lunatic; being forced to go back to Berserk only to find Dagur only _played_ the lunatic to protect her; her real parents dead. She had lived in Greuelorm for years, pretending to be someone else and not knowing if she would ever see the one part of her family that was left ever again.

"I'm sorry, Heather," he said as she quickly wiped away a stray tear.

"Don't be. I just… I just don't really understand, you know? I wish I knew my mother. I wish I knew my father. And here you are, having left your father thinking you're dead for no other reason than not wanting to kill a dragon. And then you find your mother only to now leave her as well because you couldn't agree on leaving Greuelorm or not? I just… don't get it."

Hiccup looked away. The way she put it, he must be the worst son in all of existence. But…

"If it weren't for my mother insisting on staying, I would have left Gruelorm years agao, Heather. I only stayed because she asked me to. But then with Astrid to consider as well now and with Drago getting worse and worse by the day, I couldn't justify staying any longer for a plan my mother would never indulge me in. Drago repeatedly had people attack my wife, but I could never find enough evidence that it _was_ him for a confrontation. So I made a decision. Valka made hers when ratting us out to Drago and spreading lies that could have gotten me killed had you and Eret not gotten me out." He paused and looked back at his friend. She still didn't look much more convinced and pleased than before. He sighed.

"I don't hate her, Heath. I just don't really have any desire to see her again as of now. The idea of having a mom is nice and all until you find out that the person supposed to be it really, really sucks at her job."

Heather opened her mouth to say something more — probably something about family that was impossible to fit Valka Bludvist in — when Eret let out a stream of profanities in Sami that — just from the tone of it — made Hiccup glad he didn't understand a word.

"Fucking damnit! First of:" Eret said and spat out grass, "why is there fucking shredded grass in my fucking mouth? And second: Why in the name of all that is holy must you two always speak about such miserable things and then disagree on them? Really _not_ a joy to wake up to. " He brushed his green-sprinkled tongue on the sleeve of his tunic, muttering some more curses.

They continued their way up the mountain side, determined to reach the cave Hiccup had last seen Toothless at before Nightfall. Throughout it, Hiccup picked up the habit of whistling for Toothless; a set of tones the dragon would recognise without trouble. Hiccup listened carefully after each whistle, waiting for the Night Fury's telltale roar or the chirp of a Nadder. But none came.

Only a few trampled bushes and scorched patches of soil gave away that at least a couple dragons must inhabit this island at all. But that still didn't necessarily mean that those were indeed Toothless and Stormfly. And maybe Stormfly hadn't even come back here at all. She could always have gotten captured on the mainland or just gone back to the Sanctuary. Though, Hiccup doubted the Nadder had done the latter one instead of visiting Toothless.

Still, every minute that he a sign of either dragon, Hiccup's heart sunk more. He had given up on false cheerfulness and positivity long ago. And honestly, he wouldn't be surprised at this point if he never saw his beloved dragon companion ever again. It would fit right in with the awful luck he'd had so far regarding any of his plans.

But then, they finally came into the view of the cave and a low growl coming from off to the side startled the little group. Heather immediately had her twin-daggers out and stood ready to strike. Hiccup, though, pulled her back, a smile on his face that was growing into a full grin.

He would recognise this growl anywhere.

The bushes rustled and in the dim light of the waning day, he could only barely make out the sleek black outline of a Night Fury. Hiccup nearly sobbed at the sight, emotions clogging up his throat.

He stumbled a few paces forward. "Hey, bud. It's me."

The growl tuned into a curious coo and Toothless stepped nearer. Hiccup fell to his knees and the dragon rushed forward, tackling him to the ground. In the blink of an eye, he was covered in dragon-saliva and laughed through the tears running down his cheeks.

"Hey, bud." Hiccup threw his arms around his dragon's thick neck and held on. Almost as if for dear life. Maybe really so. The weeks of waiting for this moment had felt like grappling for something to hold onto while his life was spinning out of control and swallowing him whole. This, though? This felt like a lifeline back to land.

Hiccup buried his face in the night-black scales and took a steadying breath.

Looking back, his life had been spinning out of control the moment he and Toothless had left Berk.

It was time to set things right again.

 **A/N:**

HAPPY TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY, LOVELIES!

I honestly can't believe it's been this long since I've posted the prologue to this story. And I can't believe it's still not done.

One more chapter and we'll be entering Part 3 of this story, though, so the end is fairly in sight (at least when it comes to my outline. Who knows how long it'll take me to _actually_ finish it…)

I just want say a huge THANK YOU SO FUCKING MUCH! You guys have no idea how much your support means to me! All those wonderful reviews I've gotten just blows me away and puts me to tears. All the fav's n follows that pop up seemingly randomly in my mails just take my breath away. And the fact that people actually really read this fic and are excited for every new chapter I post still is kinda feeling like a dream to me, it's so surreal.

I'm gonna stop here before I start crying again and just wish you all a wonderful time and I hope to hear from you guys! Even if I don't reply to every comment individually anymore I do read and appreciate each and every single one! I've just noticed how much replying to comments actually made me anxious and stressed me, so I had to stop addressing individuals just to keep my sanity and so I wouldn't be putting off posting chapters because of that. Just letting you guys know in case you were wondering. I'm a writer and we're a psycho kinda species, and this is just my kind of mental health issue I struggle with constantly and not just when replaying to comments.

Alright.

Until the next one!


	22. Revelations pt1

The isle of Frigga was cast in the hazy grey of dawn. Only the occasional sunbeam flitted across the horizon and illuminated the foot of the trees bordering the shores in an iridescent golden hue. Hiccup was tired and his feet were still complaining from the long hours of walking up a mountain side. But at least he knew that the tiredness would be gone again the moment Toothless would catapult them into the air.

They had gone for a night-flight yesterday while Eret and Heather got settled in the cave. He had cried tears of joy when he'd felt the wind whipping and tugging at his clothes, the rush of the adrenaline when Toothless plunged down from the sky and his gut tickled with exhilaration.

It was the one kind of freedom he couldn't live without. It had teared him apart — those two months without his beloved dragon and without flying, soaring through the air.

It had given him energy again, breathed live back into him when — looking back now — he had been an empty shell of his former self.

He was free of Drago, was in the Barbaric Archipelago with his friends and had Toothless at his side again.

Now, it was high time he righted the last pieces of his life and reunited with Astrid.

Hiccup secured his bag on Toothless' saddle and double-checked each of the stirrups and leather belts of the the artificial tailfin. His flying leathers wound securely around his own body, but the weeks of not being able to care for the contraption strapped to the dragon had made him anxious that the leather had become brittle and weak. But to his joy, everything was still working and sturdy with only a layer of dust to clean off.

Stormfly chirped and stomped her feet. Hiccup chuckled. He reached out to scratch the impatient Nadder's beak.

She had shown up some time in the Night filling Hiccup with relief upon seeing her well. Though, the Stormfly had been confused at first. Three humans, but none was her own rider. Every so often, Hiccup would glance at Stormfly and find her looking lost. She missed Astrid just as much as he did.

"It's alright, girl," Hiccup reassured the Nadder. "We're gonna go find her soon. But first, I need you to warm up to Eret and Heather. There are a few things we need to take care of."

The Nadder chirped again. Hiccup didn't know how much she had actually understood, but she jumped over to the fireplace — where Eret and Heather were still sleeping peacefully — and cawed loudly.

At once, both jumped up, startled and slightly panicked. Just slightly.

Hiccup snickered at the sight.

His friends had approached the Nadder with hesitation the night before. Eret had met Toothless a few times before and was mostly used to the Night Fury and his antics. But Heather's only contact with dragons before had only ever been connected to fright and danger.

The island she had grown up on was rarely subject to the dragon raids, but when they did strike — as she had told Hiccup — it was like Muspelheim had made its home in Midgard and brought Niflheim along for the stay. And on Berserk — while plagued with more frequent raids — they weren't nearly as bad, but just as frightening. It was obvious that it took her a great deal of self-control not to brandish her daggers whenever either dragon tried to approach her.

And being startled awake by Stormfly had her in a defensive stance and her fingers twitching. The only reason why Hiccup didn't interfere when he noticed it wasn't as amusing a situation for her as it was for him, was because Eret had already placed himself between the young woman and the dragon, arms raised.

"Gods above damn it, dragon!" he cursed. "Don't do that!"

Stormfly flapped her wings and chirped, completely unimpressed by the commotion she'd caused.

Heather came out of her panic and slumped against the wall of the cave. "I swear, it's doing it on purpose."

Hiccup laughed and his friends looked at him like he'd gone mad. "Of course she's doing it on purpose. I told her to warm up to the two of you." He tied the last knot in the rope securing his belongings to the saddle. "And that's what she's doing."

And indeed, Stormfly chose that exact moment to take a few steps forward and nudge Eret. The dark haired man almost stumbled backwards, but caught himself on the dragon's beak.

Stormfly made a trilling sound.

"What's she want from me?" Eret whined and tried to sidestep Stormfly, but failed miserably when she just gently grabbed his tunic and pulled him back to her.

"Try giving her some scratches. She loves that."

Toothless grumbled and whacked Hiccup with his tail. Hiccup turned to his dragon companion and grinned. The Night Fury could understand the word 'scratches' quite well and demanded some for himself.

"Ya, ya, ya, you crazy reptile," he said and rubbed and scratched the black scales. "I know, I owe you two-months worth of flying and cuddling."

"It's still a mystery to me how you can be so at ease around dragons," Heather said and tentatively stepped forward. She reminded him of Astrid; wary and uncertain about approaching a dragon without weapons for the first couple of times. The pang that thought sent to his heart wasn't as painful as it would've been the day before, but now? Now it filled him with hope.

He had set his mind on seeing his wife again and make things right on Berk so that they could maybe — hopefully — have a secure future there. He knew how much she had wanted that. Hiccup would need to approach his father and the whole tribe for that and he knew it wouldn't just be a pretty reunion.

They still believed him dead.

And he would return not only very much alive, but also with a dragon as his friend not his enemy. That was bound to bring complications with it. But he would do everything to be able to offer Astrid the life she deserved.

He would need to do some serious convincing. And he needed to present them with as much information as he could about Drago Bludvist before it was too late and the whole Archipelago was under attack.

"Alright," Hiccup called to his friends when they had packed up their things as well and secured them to Stormfly's saddle. The Nadder was crouched down low on the ground. "You two will both fly on Stormfly. She's best suited for carrying two riders. I'll be on Toothless."

"I still don't like this one bit," Heather said and worried her teeth over her lip. "Can't we just find a nice boat instead?"

"Heath." Hiccup rubbed her shoulder. "It's alright. Stormfly would never hurt you. In fact, she's actually rather protective once you've earned her trust."

"Yeah, that totally fills me with confidence right now."

"I wouldn't have you ride her if I didn't know you'd be safe with her."

Eret sauntered over to them and said, "And besides, I've also never flown on a dragon before. So, at least you're not alone in that."

If Heather was even more appalled to climb on Stormfly's back now, she didn't show it. Instead, she just blindly reached out and whacked the two young men over the head.

"If I die, I'm so gonna kick your asses right into Helheim."

=0=

The scowl on Astrid's face seemed to make its home there permanently. After the first day of allowing herself to bath in self-pity and sorrow, she was determined not to shed an single tear again because of the situation she'd been pushed into. Instead, she threw her shoulders back, hefted her axe and let each of the council-members who had voted in favour of Spitelout's proposition know exactly where they could shove their hateful opinions towards her.

The chief himself had come in the evening the day before to formally inform her and express his pity for not having been able to prevent it. But his veto only could do so much if the majority of the council had decided on something.

Astrid had seen the stack of papers she was to sign; not waiting for her at the Meade Hall anymore, but the Chief's house. The first was to confirm her full consent to all of it. The next, an annulment that marked her marriage to 'Horren Bludvist' invalid since she'd told them it wasn't his real name, but also wouldn't give up his real identity. And then, the pages upon pages that would bind her to Snotlout and that she renounced her rights to break the betrothal or marriage later on. She'd be stuck.

Astrid wished she could set fire to all of them and watch the council choke on the ashes. Preferably while they were still hot and glistening with embers.

She could still find herself a boat and head back south. Maybe somehow find a way to get Hiccup out of the dungeons under Greuelorm; given that he was still in there and not already dead. Johann hadn't given her a choice to actually go find their dragons and find the Sanctuary Hiccup had spoken of. He'd set sail straight for Berk despite her protests.

Or she would train herself another dragon. It was faster that way and would provide her with another layer of protection. Dragons were compassionate creatures and she hated herself for even thinking it; but they were also very effective weapons. But gaining a wild dragon's trust took time. Time she didn't have and which would leave her at risk of being discovered. She doubted she could talk herself out of it if a villager caught her petting a dragon and trying to ride it.

And besides all of that, she couldn't abandon her village and her friends when war was on the horizon.

As much as she longed to just up and leave to find Hiccup, she couldn't justify it.

And if her staying could give them even the slightest bit of advantage once Drago came, then she would do it.

And Snotlout was right. She couldn't just think of herself. And going after Hiccup was exactly that. She had to do what would be the best for the child growing in her womb. And being outcast because she wouldn't marry Snotlout would be the worst she could do to either of them.

So, as much as it broke her heart and would destroy her, she would sign the papers one the deadline was up.

She just hoped that before that happened, the gods sent her a miracle. Just a small miracle for once in all the months of being pushed around and denied a choice. That was all she prayed for.

=0=

The flight to the Northern Markets took a little longer than Hiccup had anticipated. But Stormfly was carrying two more than inexperienced riders and refrained from taking on the faster pace she enjoyed with Astrid on her back. And so, Hiccup and Toothless also limited their speed as to not fly ahead too much.

But the slower pace of the Nadder allowed the two of them to spice up their flight with various stunts and manoeuvres that left Hiccup feeling alive and with a huge grin plastered on his face.

Gods, had he missed this.

They had to take camp for a night just outside the waters of the Northern Markets. And in the morning, Hiccup laid his plan and intentions out for his friends.

"You're absolutely crazy," Heather said once he'd finished. "I'm not gonna waltz into there completely on my own."

"It's the only chance we have at gathering intelligence without raising suspicion, Heather."

Eret rubbed his face. "While I don't really like this idea either, he's right. _Hiccup_ can't go because all the generals and traders would recognise him immediately."

Hiccup nodded. "Drago's taken me so many times to the Markets — south _and_ north — I doubt I'd last more than five minutes without being arrested."

"And _I_ can't go in there because half the men there know me. By now, word of my betrayal to Drago must've arrived there. I'd be dead on sight."

Heather pressed her lips into a thin line. "And what about me? What if Ryker or Viggo or _anyone_ of the higher society is there? They should have figured that I helped bailing Hiccup out and that I fled with you guys."

Eret shook his head. "Small chance for that. Last I heard, Drago sent them due south just before the prison break. They couldn't have come here faster than us."

Heather harrumphed, but Hiccup could see the resignation slowly starting to take over.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "But we need all the information on Drago's plans we can get before going to Berk. Even the tiniest bit could help once Drago really falls into the Archipelago."

"I know," she said. "I know how much is at stake here, guys." She climbed to her feet and dusted her legs off. "Alright. Let's do this before I change my mind."

=0=

"What is being married like?" Ruffnut tugged at one of her long braids.

"What do you mean?" Astrid asked.

They were at the Thorston house and Ruffnut's mother had graciously — upon Spitelout's suggestion — offered to teach the two young women how to cook. Tuffnut was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, watching the chaos unfold with mirth.

Ruffnut put down her knife instead of picking up another potato to peel. "I mean, is it worth it? Is it worth giving all my freedom up for?"

Astrid furrowed her brows and put her peeled vegetable to the others.

Tuffnut cackled from his chair and put his feet up on another one. "She's asking because Fishface has been all over her lately. I mean, they've been both all over each other for a while now, disappearing for hours at a time together and hiding in dark corners. Or sometimes they even blatantly use our room, which I am _not_ okay with." He jabbed his finger at his sister who had gone bright red and sputtering.

"Wait," Astrid said. "You… and Fishlegs?"

Ruffnut gave her brother the stink-eye but nodded. Astrid huffed in exasperation.

"Now, why have I never heard of this before? I told you _all_ about what's been going on for me. _All of it._ " She gave Ruff a pointed look that had the Thorston girl gnawing on her lip and wringing her hands. They both knew Astrid was referring to the whole Hiccup-debacle. But since Tuff was also in the room and their mother just out to get some fish from the storage house, saying it aloud wasn't an option.

"I know, girl. I just… Fish and I are keeping it a secret until I've made up my mind."

"Sis, from what I know, our fair Astrid has her own batch of secrets, but apparently still told _you_." Tuff pointed out.

"All. Of. Them," Astrid said and jabbed her knife at her friend for emphasis.

Ruffnut groaned and threw up her hands. "Alright, alright. I'm a shitty friend and I'm sorry. But it's not like Fish and I are even a _thing_!"

"Nope, just a fling," Tuff cackled.

Astrid ignored his comment and softened her voice. Talking about feelings? That wasn't something Ruffnut usually did. And this didn't seem like one of her usual crushes on whichever sailor had caught her eye now. "Then what's that marriage-talk all about?"

There was a beat of silence, but then Ruff said — quietly and more to the collar of her tunic than to Astrid — "He's been asking me if I'd… consider marrying him. Not a real proposal yet, but just to know if he should even bother asking dad for my hand. But I don't know! I don't even know if I want to get married at all or—"

"Or just become an old virgin with lots of cats and go deepen your apprenticeship with Gothi to also become the new village crazy lady," Tuffnut said, interrupting his sister. "Just, you know, without that whole virgin part. _That_ ship sailed and drowned long ago."

Ruffnut picked up an unpeeled potato and threw it at her brother's head. "If you don't shut up right now, buttelf, I'll start peeling _your_ skin instead of the potatoes!"

That — plus the knife she was waving menacingly — sent Tuffnut scattering out of the house, cackling all the while. He was definitely the more immature out of the both of them and probably the leading force behind all their mischief; although, Astrid sometimes wasn't so sure about the latter all the time. When the door fell shut, Astrid turned back to her friend, arms crossed and an eyebrow cocked.

"So," she said and smirked. Ruffnut gulped. "Tell me. _Everything._ "

=0=

An hour later, they landed on the island of the Northern Markets, the market area itself just a short way behind the edge of the forest. From one of the outer stalls, Heather snatched a cloak and another shift of clothes. She had left Greuelorm in the attire of a girl from the mainland — which was completely different from what the young women of the Archipelago wore. So she changed into something that practically screamed _viking_ , enabled her to blend into the mass of people visiting the Markets, and distinctly reminded her of her the clothes she'd worn before playing spy for her brother.

It felt good. She instantly felt much more comfortable in her own skin and even the task ahead of her didn't feel so dreadful anymore.

'I'm the sister of Dagur the Deranged,' she thought. 'Heir to the Berserker Tribe. This should be easy.'

She wandered the paths between stalls and tents, looking for anyone who might be working for Drago. Quite a lot, it turned out. At every corner she spotted men who wore the Bludvist emblem, or one of the higher ranking generals and what-nots. She spotted at least five different emblems that — essentially — belonged to Drago's forces without immediately giving away that one big army was at work instead of a couple smaller ones.

Most of the men, though, wore the depiction of a long dragon with a crossed sword and arrow in the background. She knew this one like the back of her hand, having been surrounded by it for the last few years. Grimborn. Or rather the tribe they had once belonged to before allying with Drago; the Dragon Hunters.

She made a big arch around those men; some of them she recognised and they were most likely to recognise her as well. And being found out was the last thing she needed now.

So instead of listening in to their conversations, she moved to a stall that offered different kinds of leather-wares. Next to it, a group of men with Drago's own emblem were talking avidly in hushed voices. Heather acted as though she was inspecting the wares of the trader smiling warmly at her, but her focus was on the men's conversation. They weren't nearly as inconspicuous or silent as they thought. She smirked to herself.

But to her disappointment, they only lamented the poor salaries they had received.

"Got the feeling the chef's saving up for something bigger. He's been cuttin' our wages for months now without explanation," one said.

The others agreed. "Aye. Hopefully that means something's finally 'bout to happen. I wanna go back home to me wife already."

And from there on, the subject changed to their homesicknesses and how they'd spend the time once whatever Drago needed them for was over. What exactly and when that would be, neither seemed to know, though.

She quickly changed the stall lest the merchant noticed she wasn't actually interested in the wares and didn't even have the coin to pay for any of it.

She spent the better part of the day listening in to conversations and stole glances at papers some men were discussing. But none of it held anything of worth to her.

Before it got dark, she quickly checked in with Eret and Hiccup to let them know that she was well, but hadn't found out anything yet.

"We'll try again in the morning," Hiccup said as Eret handed her a piece of the big bird they were cooking over the fire. It tasted bland without any spices to season it, but still better than the the fish she had been living on the past few weeks. She swallowed her bite and shook her head.

"No. I'm going back and take a room in one of the taverns. Maybe some drunken idiot will let something slip." The two young men gave her disapproving looks but she ignored them. "I've seen a couple higher-ranking men strutting about. They won't be spending the night on a boat if there's a warm tavern with a hot meal and lots of alcohol. If I can get one of them alone, maybe I can get him to talk."

Eret frowned. "Heather darling, those men are absolute pigs. When you get one of them alone the last thing they'll be thinking about will be having a little chat with you."

Hiccup nodded. "I'd much rather you stay here and we think of something in the morning. If there weren't any men who are regulars in Greuelorm, we could go in as well."

"Boys, as much as I appreciate you worrying about me, I'll be fine," she said with a smile. "And if anyone tries anything on me, I'll just show them how good I'm with a dagger or two."

She stayed a little longer at their camp-side, but eventually made her way back to the Markets and sought out one of the well-visited taverns, a pouch full of coins at her hip.

The main room was filled with drinking people. Barmaids flitted about, carrying large trays with food and tankards of ale, mead and whatever else they had in store. Heather wove through the people and found an empty spot at the bar. She got the attention of the man behind it.

"What can I do for a pretty lass like you?" he said, drying an empty tankard with a rug.

"Do you have any free rooms for the night?"

"Right now, unfortunately no." He shrugged apologetically. "But maybe you'll be lucky an' one of those drunken bastards gets himself kicked out. Or you could always try to find a bed to share." He winked at her and unsubtly dropped his gaze to her chest. Heather fought the urge to slap the grin off his stupid face. Instead, she just glared and ordered herself a tankard of ale.

She slowly sipped her beverage while observing the ebb and flow of the tavern's patrons. After a while, something in the atmosphere of the tavern changed. The group of higher-ranking officers of Drago's army stopped the game of cards they had been playing for the past hour or so and all of them scowled at the new-comer at their table. Whoever he was, he wasn't nearly as tall and burly as the other men, but still packed with muscles apparent under the loose clothes. He sat with his back to Heather, but his posture told her enough already. This was someone of rank and clearly the other men didn't like it.

Heather slipped out of her seat and crossed the room. She stationed herself at one of the windows overlooking the Markets, acting as though she was lost in thought and with her back half turned to the room. She sought out the strange man again among the crowd. She wasn't near enough to understand every word, but enough to get a gist of the situation.

Just… something about him irked her. He was more on guard than the others and with a hand constantly on his belt — probably to draw a weapon should the tension rise even more. And then he spoke up and Heather knew what didn't seem to fit.

"You have gotten direct orders from the very top. If you don't like it, then that's not my problem," _she_ said.

The stranger — who wore the attire of a general — was a woman. Not at rather feminine looking one, but her voice was higher than that of a man and now that Heather knew, she noticed the lack of facial hair and the tightness of her shirt around her chest. And if she was of such high rank, then she must be in possession of some serious skills to have gotten her there.

Heather had never heard of a woman as a leader in Drago's armies. The man had always seemed to consider women as weak and not worthy of a position in his army beyond cooking and cleaning for the men. Only Valka had never fit that description, but she also wasn't directly integrated into the hierarchy. At least, not that Heather knew of, anyway.

"Drago's got another thing coming if he really believes _any_ of us'd be willing to follow the orders of a _woman_ ," one of the men said and the others cheered in support.

"Go back to washing clothes, Trudi. I'm sure your husband's missing you terribly already," another one said.

The woman rolled her eyes. Clearly, it wasn't the first time she heard the lewd insults the men continued to make. She slammed a fist on the table that let the plates and tankards jump. "First, you pigs know well enough not to call me Trudi. I'm your commanding General. You _will_ respect me. I'm not asking you to like it, but continue to ignore my direct orders and I'll see to it that all of you and your men be placed in the deepest shithole the Archipelago has to offer. Maybe I'll make you twatfaces my servants _you_ can go wash _my_ clothes. Or — if you manage to behave — you'll get to have a nice house on a nice island where you can do whatever the fuck you want. Your choice." With that, she stood up and left, but not without intentionally bumping into the table and knocking over a couple of tankards. The men yelled as their beverages spilled onto their pants.

Heather smirked. This woman might be working for the enemy, but she liked her anyway. She contemplated following this Trudi — or whatever here name really was — but she didn't seem like someone to give up information. And she didn't particularly feel like possibly angering this woman. She downed the rest of her drink and threw her shoulders back.

With a few staggering steps to appear more intoxicated than she really was, Heather walked over to them men and 'accidentally' toppled into one of the men. Thankfully, a younger one, but he was probably still at least ten years her senior.

"Ooops," she giggled and landed in his lap. He looked shocked at her sudden appearance, but quickly schooled his features into a smirk.

"Hello there," he said and immediately had an arm around her waist.

Heather grinned up at him, playing the drunk girl who got way too friendly way too soon. Worked every time, no matter her intentions. "Hello, handsome."

"Ooohh! Look at that!" one of the other men said. "One awful woman leaves and another one falls right into your lap, Bark. And a lovely one at that too!"

"Bark?" Heather asked and made herself comfortable in the man's lap. As comfortable as she could be anyway. She might be playing nice, but she'd much rather knock all of them out than _this._ "'S that your name? Like… tree bark? Or more like a barking dog?"

He laughed and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Depends on what you prefer, darling. But you haven't told me _your_ name, yet."

Heather shuddered, disgusted. But the man took it as encouragement. No one except Eret was allowed to call her darling. But she drowned the frown that wanted to break through on her face in the sweetest smile that she could muster.

She dragged a finger around Bark's collar. "Heidrun," she said on a whim. The first name that came to her mind and it had to be that of the damn mythological goat. Way to go. But Bark didn't miss a beat.

"Nice to meet you, Heidrun."

"Likewise."

Bark opened his mouth, probably to invite her up to his room or something, but Heather was faster. "Your friend said something about an awful woman. What did she do to you?" She made a show of playing overly concerned and invested in it like she had seen other girls do in a drunken state. She made sure to sway a little on the spot as well to sell her act even better. Let them think she was a stupid girl who had a drink or two too much.

The other men around the table scoffed and swore under their breaths. Bark didn't say anything and gnawed on his lip. When no one wanted to answer her, she pouted.

"That bad?" she asked and then clumsily slapped her hand flat on the table. "That _bitch_!" If she got them to trust her just a little, maybe they'd tell her more than they intended to. She reached for one of the tankards on the table and took a hearty gulp. If they thought she wouldn't remember anything in the morning, maybe that would loosen their tongues.

Bark laughed and she felt the rumble of it on her back. "Feisty little one," he said at her ear. "I like it." Thankfully, though, his hands strayed no further than her thighs; but that was far enough for her already.

"Tell me— tell me wha' she did to you," Heather said and the mead in the tankard sloshed over the brim when she gesticulated with it. The man next to Bark took it away from her. She pretended not to have noticed. "My mother always said talking solves all problems." She tipped her head to the side. "Or most of them."

One of the men — an older one with a heavily scarred face — gave in. "She's the General of our troops. Not tha whole army. But we have ta answer ta her."

"General Gertrude Ivarsdóttir. The commanding bitch."

"She must be real good at sucking Drago off to have gotten the position."

The men laughed.

"And you don't like the commands she gave you?" Heather asked. Ivarsdóttir. She had heard of a General Ivar _son_ before. Maybe she was his sister? Or daughter?

"Eh, she's just givin' the commands of the big chef ta us, but she's a woman an' women shouldn't be in command," Scar-face said.

Bark behind her hummed in agreement. "We're to sail west with our men in a couple of days. Get ready for the next phase."

"The next phase?"

"Takin' over Bog and Hysteria. Others get the pleasure to visit the Meathead and all the other poor suckers of the Archipelago," Bark said and the others shot him dark glares. "What? It's not like she's gonna remember any of this anyway."

Got ya.

Heather twisted in his lap and faced him. "So you're leaving? I was really starting to like you. But if you leave then—" she made to slip away, having heard enough for now. But he gripped her waist.

"Now, now, now. Not so fast, little Heidrun," he purred into her ear, rising in her the desire to castrate him. But she played along and let herself be pulled back with a giggle. "I'm not gone fore a couple of days. And who knows? Maybe I'll just take you with me."

The other men howled and wolf-whistled at his declaration and Heather fought hard to keep the mindless grin plastered on her face. She had gotten her information.

Drago was planning to take over the archipelago. That much they had known already. The big question had just been the _when_ and _how_. With what she knew now, she suspected sooner rather than later and apparently there were troops for every tribe in the Archipelago. Drago wouldn't just march in as one united force and take one place at a time. It would happen everywhere at once.

She needed to tell Hiccup and Eret. And then she needed to get back to Berserk and warn her brother. But for now she needed to somehow get away from those bastards that looked at her with hungry eyes. She didn't need to hear them say it to know their intentions.

In the end, the alcohol saved her from having to draw her blades on them. They still felt pissy enough about Gertrude Ivarsdóttir to order two new rounds of potent mead to drown their sorrow in. They didn't even notice she had fallen silent and that she wasn't drinking her own tankard with the same fast pace they did. Or that most of it she let drip to the floor instead of drinking it. Once their words were slurred together into indistinguishable garbage and their movements uncontrolled and clumsy at best, she slipped out of Bark's weak grasp on her and made sure to steal the key from his pocket. The handful of coins she found on him went into her pouch as well.

A barmaid — already in the process of cleaning up for the night — showed her the room she had just acquired for herself. It wasn't fancy by any means, but the wooden bed and the thin covers were still way better than sleeping on the hard and cold ground like Eret and Hiccup.

In the morning, she left the tavern before any of the passed out guests at the tables were even beginning to wake up. The sun was just starting to rise and only a couple vendors were setting up their stalls. She could just go back into the forest and inform the boys about her findings — especially since Bark and the other man last night had unintentionally told her even more between their drunken slurs. But one last walk around the Market wouldn't hurt.

She wandered along the docks, making sure she imprinted all emblems on the sails of the ships docked into her mind. The boys would know which one belonged to which commander if she described them. On the far end of the rows of boats, she spotted one that she didn't need Eret or Hiccup to assign for her, though. It was Krogan's flagship.

And the man in question was just coming up the planks talking to one of his men.

Heather slid behind a tent, keeping an eye on Krogan and his companion through the gaps in the fabric. They were engrossed in their conversation, not even keeping their voices down. Krogan was a secretive man. But apparently the early morning hours and lack of people around made him less wary than usually. Good for Heather.

"Drago's not gonna be happy to hear that," Krogan's companion said. "He should've finished her off right away."

Krogan nodded. "Hmmm. Maybe all the years of pretending to be the fool made his heart weak."

Heather frowned. Fool? They couldn't possibly be talking about Drago. Neither was the man a fool nor had he a weak heart. There wasn't an inch of compassion in Drago Bludvist's body. So who were they talking about? And who should that someone have 'finished off'?

She crept along the tent to keep up with the men, careful not to trip over anything lest she be found out.

"Or maybe he's following his own agenda and simply 'forgot' to mention it," Krogan continued. "Either way, something tells me that Drago won't be trusting his dear brother as much anymore." Heather could hear the smirk in his voice though she didn't see it. But… Brother? Drago Bludvist had a _brother_? She had never known about that and she doubted Hiccup had either. He would've told her and Eret by now if there were more madmen running around the world.

"Aye," the second man said. "And that would—"

"Put me more in his favour. The hierarchy is about to change, my friend." Krogan laughed. "Oh, I can't wait to see Johann fall already. He can stay a trader if he wants to. But I wouldn't be entrusting him with power of any kind after this."

Trader? Johann? They weren't possibly talking about…

"But one thing I gotta give him. He does know how to fool people. He's got the entire Archipelago thinking he's merely a silly trader with a knack for overly dramatic stories. No one would ever believe he's our main source of information," Krogan said and chuckled.

"Trader Johann to those fools, and master of disguise to us," the other man said. "Maybe we should let him train men to spy for us. None would ever be the wiser and in a few years we'd have the entire world under our control."

Heather retreated, having heard enough. And once she was out of earshot, she started running to the forest.

She came by two chatting merchants on her way and skidded to a halt. They looked at her like she'd gone mad.

"Excuse me, but I was wondering if you'd know the usual route trader Johann takes around the Archipelago?"

They exchanged a off-put look, but shrugged. "Usually he goes round the east first. Lava-Lout. Bog. Hysteria. Then round to Berk. He checked in here to stock up bout two weeks ago. And after that he should go round north to Visithug and Meathead. And then back down west to Outcast and Berserk and such before headin' south," one of them said.

"And where would he be now?"

"Outcast or on his way to Berserk already. Depends on the weather, lass."

"But why d'you wanna know? S'not like you can go catch him there now anyway. Takes 'bout a week to make the journey," the second one said, but she was already backing off again.

"Was just for a bet!" She called back. "Thank you!"

"Kids these day," she heard them say and then she was running again, her thoughts back to the news she was about to deliver.

This was bad. Astrid had left Greuelorm with Trader Johann and if he was not only working for Drago but his _brother_ …

She needed to tell Hiccup. Immediately.

 **A/N:**

Alright, before some of you blow up the reviews saying that I got the geography of the Barbaric Archipelago all wrong or stuff because it doesn't really fit with the map from the books and all… I know that and I took the artistic freedom to tweak things here and there to fit my needs. I mean, this is fanfiction after all! So please be nice.

With that one out of the way: Thanks to all of you who took the time to review! You guys know how much I love reading your comments and I am blessed as a writer to have such awesome people reading my work! Thank you all and please go find a cookie because you deserve one. Or two. You know what, just take the whole box! :)

As for that one joker who reviewed: "Boooo. Hiccstrid only." You know who you are and I am applauding you. Nothing has ever made me want to just throw all the plans I have for this story out of the window and go make this not about my OTP anymore. Seriously. I was debating just really marrying Astrid off to Snotlout and maybe getting someone else for Hiccup just to spite you. I mean, it's _my_ story. And if I wanna split up the main pairing and bring in other ships then that's what I'm gonna do. But thanks for the inspiration this review gave me!

That being said, though. Hiccstrid is save, ya'll.

The next chapter is gonna be up real fast since they were initially supposed to be one chapter but then I decided to break it up because the amount of PoV switches it already has is ridiculous. And also because it felt like a good point to keep the tension strong!

See you lovelies in the next one!


	23. Revelations pt2

_Trader Johann is Drago's brother._

Heather had come rushing back to their camp-side, a frantic look on her face. When she'd caught her breath, she had stumbled over her words, her mouth not fast enough for her mind. But the moment those five words had fallen from her tongue, he'd shot to his feet and whistled for Toothless. When she'd said that Krogan was at the Markets and she'd overheard him talking about this with one of his men, Hiccup was already in the saddle and taking off with Toothless.

He should never have trusted Johann. And he should most definitely not have entrusted him with Astrid's safety. She'd _told him_ that she felt like something was off about the trader. Hiccup should have listened to her. If Johann had done _anything_ to her—

Hiccup shook his head and spurred Toothless on faster.

"He's supposed to be near Outcast," Heather had shouted after him. And if the Trader stuck to his usual route, then Hiccup would find him soon enough. The Northern Markets were a week's worth of travelling by ship away from Outcast Island. But on dragon? Only a couple of hours.

And Hiccup was flying the fastest dragon known to the Vikings and he was desperate and angry.

They could be there even faster.

Fortunately, the weather was also playing along nicely and for once, the Archipelago wasn't covered in storm after storm. And the occasional wall of rain they flew through didn't bother Hiccup at all. He barely even felt the water seep through his clothes. And he doubted he'd be bothered by the wind ripping at his face had he not donned his flying mask earlier, either.

It wasn't before long and they reached the waters stretching between Outcast and— Berk. Hiccup could see the tip of the mountain of his home-isle peeking just over the horizon and felt a twitch at his heart.

If Johann had stayed true to his word — despite being in alliance with Drago — then Astrid would be on Berk right now.

She could be so close.

But he couldn't risk going to Berk without knowing for sure what Johann was up to and what he had done with his wife.

And if the trader _had_ done anything to her, then so the gods help him, Hiccup would hold true to _his_ promise and make Johann pay. In the most painful way he could think of.

He steered Toothless further east and the sliver of Berk disappeared from his sight. The flight into Outcast waters should only take him another hour or so.

Another wall of rain washed over them, denser this time. The waves underneath were getting rougher by the minute and mist clouded his vision. He almost missed the colourful sails swaying between dark waves. Almost.

Hiccup would recognise those sails anywhere.

 _Johann_.

Toothless growled and immediately went for a nose-dive towards the ship, Hiccup's foot switching positions instinctively to adjust the tailfin. Lightning illuminated the dark clouds. The planks of the ship groaned in protest as they touched down a moment later. Thunder rolled somewhere in the distance. It was as if Thor himself was just as raging as Hiccup.

Johann was holding onto a flapping sail to tie it back in place, without fruition though. He hadn't even heard them land on the ship. Hiccup slipped out of the saddle and gave a small signal with his hand to Toothless and the Night Fury shot a plasma bolt at the astray sail, ripping a hole in it.

Johann whirled around with a yelp as he came face to face with the dragon and its rider; both angry as could be.

"M-Master Hiccup!" Johann exclaimed and gave a quick bow before almost toppling over from the ship's rocking. "What a— pleasant surprise to see you alive and— well." He tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace. Hiccup knew in that moment that it hadn't been his mother who had ratted him out to Drago. It had been Johann.

"Cut the crap, Johann," he growled and gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. But the tension within him was too strong to let go.

Johann didn't drop his act of the silly trader, though. Instead, he appeared shocked and confused. But Hiccup knew better now.

"I— Master Hiccup! I have no idea what you could possibly be referring to."

"Oh, for the love of— Johann, you and I both know you've been playing us all. Just when were you going to mention you were Drago's brother? Or did you plan on having some grand reveal?"

That did it. Johann resigned and his posture changed. He wasn't the fool Hiccup had always known him as. He was a cunning man who had fooled the entire Archipelago for years.

"Now, may I know how you've come to this realisation? And on that matter, how come you aren't in the dungeon where you should be?" Johann's face darkened.

"I'm not gonna tell you anything. But you—" Hiccup quickly drew his sword, the tip pointed at the man's throat. "You are going to tell me _right now_ just what you've done with Astrid and where she is."

Johann backed away, hands held up but a vicious scowl contorting his face. "And what if I refuse to tell you?" he asked with a sneer. He clearly thought he had the upper hand because he had leverage over Hiccup. "I could jump ship right now and you'd none the wiser of what happened to your precious little wife."

Hiccup growled and heard Toothless behind him do the same, probably bared teeth and claws digging into the planks of the ship.

"Maybe I have dropped her off on an abandoned island and left her to starve and you'd never find her," Johann continued. "Or maybe I've sold her to my brother's soldiers. She's a beautiful woman and some of the men haven't had one for their pleasure in quite a while—" He yelped when Hiccup surged forward and swung his sword at Johann, aiming for a vicious blow to his legs, but missed. The trader backed away sideways and Hiccup went for a punch instead.

There was a crack when Johann's nose broke, not unlike the thunder from above.

"If I find out you've really done anything like that to Astrid then I swear to the gods, I'll make you suffer for it."

Johann had fallen down, clutching his bleeding nose. He scrambled back to his feet and threw a glance at the railing of the ship.

"Don't bother jumping," Hiccup told him. "I'll just fish you out of the water again. And you'll lose a finger for every attempt at withholding information you make."

"Where does all this aggression come from, boy. You've never been a violent one. Not even when you were being pushed by your peers." Johann was stalling. It wouldn't make a difference, though. In the end, Hiccup would get his answers; one way or another.

"I've had to do Drago's dirty work for long enough to learn violence. And before, it's always been about me. Not about the well-being of the woman I love."

Johann scoffed. Blood was gushing down his face, and the heavy rain just made the mess spread everywhere.

"Love makes you weak, boy."

Johann reached for something at his back, but Hiccup was faster. Finally, all the hour upon hours of training with Eret were paying off and Johann's dagger skidded across the ship and out of reach.

Hiccup grabbed Johann's collar and pressed him up against a mast, his sword's tip digging into the other man's stomach just enough to tear the fabric and nick the skin. But any more pressure and it would be getting a whole lot more painful.

"Where. Is. Astrid," Hiccup demanded. Toothless also got way into Johann's personal space — steam rising out of his nostrils and his growls vibrating through the whole mast and the ship's planks.

"Kill me and you'll never know."

"I won't kill you, Johann. But if I have to, I'll torture you until you tell me what I want to know."

Johann grinned — and leaned into the sword, adamant on impaling himself. But Hiccup drew the blade away enough to just leave a rather superficial wound. Far from lethal, but — guessing from Johann's pain-contorted face — very painful.

"What do you gain from not telling me, anyway?" Hiccup asked and pushed Johann back against the mast. "It's not like she's the key to Drago's success."

Johann chuckled weakly and immediately grimaced again, clutching his wound with both hands.

"Oh, but — in a way — she is."

"Where is she?"

"Sadly, you could be the one turning the fate of this oncoming war over. You're a threat."

Hiccup's patience grew thinner by the second. If Johann didn't talk already, he'd really start cutting off his fingers one at a time. As much as the thought of actually torturing someone sickened him, he'd do whatever it took to finally get Johann to spill Astrid's whereabouts.

"Tell me."

"By keeping you from finding her, I'm keeping you from blowing our success. Drago failed once because he didn't listen to me. Now, he did and soon we're gonna rule over this whole pathetic Archipelago. Maybe then I'll let you find her."

"So you haven't sold her. Or killed her. She's alive." If Hiccup would be able to find her then she must be somewhere Johann knew she was safe.

"I won't tell you, boy. And you won't find her on your own. You're still lacking the guts and the backbone to do what you must."

Something clicked then. Johann had told him plenty. Hiccup grinned. "Berk."

Johann's face didn't show any emotion to confirm or deny, but his eyes widened for the fraction of a moment and Hiccup knew he was right.

"You know I've held off going back home for years now. On my own, I probably wouldn't have gone back there any time soon. For her though? I _will_ without having to think twice. After all, it was she who motivated me to even _consider_ it an option again. And once I'm there, I can tell Stoick what he needs to know to fight Drago. So, by keeping me from Berk, you think you'll be successful."

"How did you—"

"You just made a few mistakes, really, Johann," Hiccup said. "First of, Astrid knows enough on her own to prepare them for war. Second, I'm not alone. My friends should be on their way right now and they know where I need them to be even if I should be out of the equation. And _third_ ," he shoved Johann away from the mast and the man fell to the ground. "I would have gone back to Berk anyway. The informations I've gathered these past few weeks are too important not to tell my father. Even if it costs me my head. And since we're one of the strongest forces with the most allies, it only makes sense to operate from there on out."

Hiccup got onto Toothless. "But you knew that last part already, didn't you? After all, it was Drago's brother who convinced him to strike from the inside out until _that plan_ crushed." He had overheard that little bit just before another one of Drago's interrogations. Viggo had been down in the dungeons as well and talked to Drago about the change of plan just before Ryker had pushed him in. It had seemed that all of them had forgotten for a moment that Hiccup wasn't deaf. And he hadn't corrected them either.

Johann swore. "You should have _died_ in those dungeons. Drago should have ended your pathetic life when he had the chance, the old fool."

Hiccup considered killing Johann after all. But there would be no point in it except for satisfying his vengeance. So he clicked the tailfin into place instead. "And by the way, Johann. Love doesn't make you weak. It makes you strong."

And then Toothless jumped into the air and turned for Berk. The initial ascend was more difficult than usually what with the storm blowing them back down, but then the wind ceased for a moment. Toothless caught a current and—

A blinding pain shot up Hiccup's right side and he cried out.

He reached for it's source. A dagger protruded from his flying leathers. Johann's dagger.

He should have knocked him out before turning his back to him.

The blood started seeping through his clothes and his hand came away glistening in red.

Toothless shot over the clouds and levelled out while Hiccup still looked at his wound, cursing.

He needed to adjust his seat on Toothless' back in order to properly fly, but the blade struck in his side prevented him from moving too much. And if he pulled it out, he risked increasing the blood-loss and pass out from it.

"Shit," he muttered.

Toothless crooned and threw a look back at his rider.

"It's okay, bud," Hiccup gritted out and reached for the dagger once more. "This is gonna hurt, but we need to fly through that storm. And I can't do that with a dagger stuck in me." Admittedly, it hadn't gone in completely; his reinforced flying leathers had prevented that, thank Thor. But still deep enough to be more than _just_ annoying.

"I need you to keep steady, bud. Alright? Don't need that blasted thing go any deeper or rip the wound open bigger."

Toothless seemed to understand and kept the flapping of his wings to a bare minimum, flying as evenly as possible with the harsh winds hitting them.

Hiccup waited for a gap in the current and then pulled the dagger out with a grunt. He pressed one hand immediately to the wound to slow the bleeding, but knew he would need to bandage it properly as soon as possible. But for now, he would have to make do with what he could put together while flying.

He pulled the hem of his tunic out from under his leathers, cut a good piece of it off and rolled it into a tight bundle and a smaller piece he folded into a flat compress. Then, he reached for the satchel attached to Toothless' saddle and cut off the strap. By the time he managed to secure the makeshift pressure compress to his side, his hands were shaking. Hopefully it would hold long enough.

"Alright, bud," he said, panting slightly. Toothless crooned again and Hiccup reached out to pet him. "I'm alright." He pinched his eyes closed for a moment. His vision was shifting in and out of focus sooner than he had anticipated. Hopefully it was just his nerves and not the injury itself causing it. It wasn't all that deep and he doubted anything vital was afflicted. But the altitude and thereof the decreased amount of oxygen to fill his lungs had his head swimming.

"Hurry, bud," Hiccup groaned and tried to keep his senses together. Passing out way up in the air would not end well. But he kept his focus long enough to lock the tailfin into its automatic position and secure all the straps and lines tying him to Toothless. Just in case. He hadn't needed them in a long time, but he wasn't about to test his luck and risk slipping out of the saddle with a storm they needed to fly trough.

Toothless rumbled deep in his chest and beat his wings faster, keeping a steady direction for Berk while Hiccup fought to keep his eyes open.

=0=

Lunch at he Mead Hall was a loud and bawdy affair. Dinner was usually worse, but on days like this — where it was raining buckets and the sky was covered in dark clouds — it might as well have been evening already; there wouldn't be much difference between the two meals. Almost the whole village was crowded in the Hall, enjoying a warm meal straight from the big common kitchen and tankards of Mead. A small army of maids flitted about, refilling plated and tankards, cleaning tables and throwing out anyone who dared getting drunk and touchy halfway through the day. Berkian women — even the youngest of them — were unforgiving and intolerant to such misbehaviour, completely unafraid to put the men back into their place themselves should the need arise.

Yep. Just like dinner only a few hours earlier.

Astrid sat with her small group of friends, pushing her food around on her plate more than actually eating any of it even though she knew it was delicious as ever.

Spitelout had cornered her just a while ago, pressing her to sign the papers and marry his son. _Why_ he was so obsessed with having her as his daughter-in-law escaped her; especially since Snotlout was not on board with the idea either. She had walked away without a word, just as she had done the other few times before. But she was exhausted and the week was already halfway over. And she knew that in the end, she would put her feelings aside and do what was best for the little life growing inside of her. Even if it broke her heart.

"What happened to your appetite?" Ruffnut next to her asked while munching on a mouthful of her yak-chop.

"I'm just not particularly hungry right now." It was a blatant lie. Her stomach yearned for the food on her plate — especially since the morning had set in and she'd already thrown her breakfast back up. But she just couldn't bring herself to do more than merely pick at it.

"Yakdung," Ruff said and the others nodded.

"You know, Astrid," Fish said and sat his slice of bread back on his plate, "it's very important that you don't skip meals while— in your condition."

"I know Fish."

The blond man lowered his voice. "The baby needs all the nutrition it can get. Especially in this early stage or you might risk loosi—"

" _I know, Fish_ ," Astrid snapped and immediately regretted it when her friend looked hurt. He had only meant well. When she had told her small group of friends of her pregnancy — though, it only came as news for Fishlegs and Tuffnut since Ruffnut had been the one to figure it out before her and she'd told Snot right after he'd told her about the deadline — they had all sworn to help her as well as they could. And that included covering the baby's father wasn't Snotlout as they would lead everyone to believe once… once she signed the papers. It was for the best. At least, the best for the baby.

It was a mess. But at least she wasn't dealing with it all on her own.

Astrid sighed. "I'm sorry. I know that you just worry, but.. I guess I'm just a bit… agitated today." Fishlegs offered her a small smile, but gladly didn't push it further.

Snot — on the other hand — furrowed his brows and slanted his lips down. "Did my dad pester you again?"

Astrid nodded. She picked up a small piece of bread and popped it into her mouth despite not feeling like eating. "Got me on my way to the Ring."

"Thor above," Snot groaned and pushed away from their table. "I'll tel him to leave you alone. _Again_. They gave you until the end of the week; he doesn't need to push you every time he sees you!" And with that he strode for the chief's table — where his father was sitting next to Stoick and where Snotlout was sometimes expected to take his seat for important events. Astrid turned away from the scene, feeling sick to her stomach.

She didn't need Snotlout to defend her like he did right now, but she knew he interference would be more effective than hers. Still, she hated being dependent on anyone.

"One of these days," Tuffnut said around his mouthful of food, "the whole council will find themselves relieved of their positions because Snot's too fed up with them and their shit. He'll throw 'em all out and give the council seats to us." He licked his fingers clean from the grease sticking to them and Astrid shuddered — both at the mental image of Tuffnut being a councilman and the gross way he was eating. Neither of the Thorston twins had _any_ manners.

"It'll be glorious," he continued. "We could essentially do whatever we want and _no one_ will be able to stop us."

"Muttonhead," Ruff said. "Snot will have to become Chief fist for that and we all know he doesn't feel like taking over just yet. And second, he wouldn't kick Gobber out of the council. And unless Stoick's dead in that scenario, he'll have a guaranteed place in the council. And with at least two nay-sayers, we couldn't do _everything_."

"But most of it."

"But most of it," Ruff agreed. Astrid glanced at Fishlegs to check if he was as put out by their exchange as she was and found him torn between disturbed and love-struck, his eyes steadfast on Ruffnut.

Astrid nudged him in the side and he snapped out of his daze, blushing at being caught staring at the female twin. It was clear as day to Astrid that the young man was completely infatuated with her. Whatever he might find appealing in the havoc-wreaking, Loki-worshipping young woman. And unless Ruffnut hadn't told the truth before, then the affection was being reciprocated — even if more subtly and hesitantly. And should Ruffnut decide to say yes to Fish's unofficial marriage proposal then — Astrid was certain — they could find their happiness together. She was glad for her friends.

"You should tell her how you feel," Astrid told her friend in a hushed voice while the twins kept on dreaming up all the mayhem they could cause in the future and maybe get away with.

"You think so?" Fish gnawed on his lip. "I— I suppose she knows how I fell about her. I mean… I proposed and we've been… together and all. I've written her poetry, gotten her all sorts of presents. Doesn't that— kind of make it clear how I feel?"

"Oh, it does. And the way you look at her totally gives you away as well. But—" Astrid patted hi meaty arm and smiled reassuringly, " _telling_ someone your feelings is also important. I knew for months how my husband felt for me, and I knew that _he knew_ how _I_ felt for _him_ just as long. But saying it out loud? I dunno. It felt really good hearing him say 'I love you' and it felt just as good saying it back and seeing him smile."

"Huh. But… what if she doesn't say it back after all? What if I've been misinterpreting her this whole time and—"

"Fish. Trust me on this, yes? I wouldn't tell you to do it if I wasn't sure. But either way, I've waited too long to tell the man I love that I love him and we weren't granted much time together afterwards. What… what I'm trying to say is, don't make my mistake. Not telling someone how you feel is _never_ worth it."

"I guess you're right."

The two of them continued their lunch in companionable silence and the excited chatter of the twins blended in with the general noises of the filled Mead Hall. Astrid still didn't eat much, but more than she had planned on and her stomach finally ceased its grumbling. Outside, thunder rolled. Apparently the storm that had been on the horizon for a while now had finally decided to take a turn for Berk.

And like every time, a couple of villagers noticed that this and that wasn't secure for whatever Thor would bring upon them and sought out the Chief like a bunch of sheep who couldn't think for themselves and relied on their shepherd to guide them; the guidance here being Stoick telling them how to handle the weather. Like living on this sodden piece of rock in the middle of what felt like the epicentre of Thor's wrath for generations had left them without a single bit of knowledge. Sure, they could do with rain, snow, or hail. Anything that fell from the sky? Not a problem. But a little wind that sent the nearest bucket flying? Odin help them for Ragnarok might come early. Or at least that's the impression Astrid got from it.

Astrid stood to clear her plate when the huge double doors burst open yet again and a gust of wind let the temperature drop drastically. She shivered.

"Chief!" One of the lookouts hang onto one of the doors, trying to catch his breath from running up the big steps to the Hall. "A dragon!" he shouted and pointed outside. "There's— a dragon! Headin' straight— fer us!"

Stoick the Vast rose from his seat, followed by his heir, his second-in-command, and his right-hand-man.

"Just one dragon?" The chief asked. Astrid was glad that their table was relatively near to the entrance of the Mead Hall so she could understand all of it perfectly.

"Yes, sir."

"Just shoot it down. We cannae have a wild dragon rampaging the village just now. Are ye sure it's not the first of another raid?"

A low whistle ran through the air. Probably the wind catching on something.

"Positive, sir. An' we can't shoot it down; it's comin' in too fast."

"Then get the men ta meet the dragon with weapons at the ready. We can't afford—"

"Sir," the man interrupted Stoick. "It's a Night Fury."

Astrid's heart dropped into her gut only to then pound a mile a minute. Her breath caught in her throat. There was only one Night Fury in the northern waters as far as she knew.

She was heading for the door before Stoick could give the lookout another order. She distantly noticed her friends yelling after her, but only Ruffnut was following her on her heel.

"Astrid?"

She ignored her friend and reached the steps down to the village just as a black shape zipped over the village and ungracefully landed at the village square.

It really _was_ Toothless!

…And Hiccup was slumped over on his back.

Astrid yelped and rushed down the steps. Behind her, she was barely aware of the stampede of people doing the exact same thing, though for completely different reasons.

"Is that?" Ruffnut gasped.

"Yes."

"Fuck."

Astrid couldn't agree more.

Something was wrong. Hiccup should have gotten out of the saddle by now. He should have moved in _any_ way by now. Her initial thought when spotting Night Fury and Rider had been of joy. They were alive and she would get to see her husband again and things would be _fine_. Now, she wasn't sure about fine.

A group of men was already approaching Toothless and his vicious growl sent them jumping back, though their various weapons were still raised high and a few were even getting out bows and arrows.

Astrid stumbled down the last steps and sprinted forward, her own axe in hand before she even realised she had drawn it.

"Stop!" she yelled. "Don't!"

They had formed a tight circle around Hiccup and Toothless by now and seemingly no on had heard her.

Oh gods, what if they started shooting before she could get through?

Astrid shouldered her way through the flock of people — both armed to fight the dragon and unarmed nosey bystanders.

"It's got a rider!" someone yelled in the direction of the Chief and his entourage.

"There's a man on the dragon!"

"Who'd fly a dragon?"

"Can only be a demon."

"Spawn of Loki!"

"Someone _shoot already_ before they attack us first!"

"No!" Astrid broke through the last row of men and all eyes snapped to her. "Leave them alone!"

Toothless whipped around to her and ceased his growling for a moment to coo at her so heartbreakingly desperate Astrid almost started sobbing. But then her eyes locked on Hiccup and then she _did_ sob, momentarily frozen in her movements.

Someone must have tried to approach again because Toothless growled again and lifted his wings to appear bigger and even more intimidating. Astrid snapped out of her shocked daze and stumbled forward.

Hiccup lay almost motionless on Toothless' back, the only indication that he wasn't dead the minute extending of his chest with every shallow breath he took. His flying mask covered his face. One of his hands was pressed to his right side, a blotch of red underneath it.

Astrid grasped his shoulders with shaking hands, pushing him into an upright position. His head fell forward. Unconscious.

It took all she had not to start saying his name over and over to wake him. Though, she doubted his identity would stay a secret for much longer. Not with the raging villagers surrounding them.

"Come on," she said and gently shook his shoulders. "Wake up. Please wake up."

Astrid tore her focus from his covered face to the blood-soaked bandage around his middle. The hand on his side had fallen away and the bandage had become loose, revealing the source of all the blood. Astrid gasped.

"Someone go get Gothi!" Astrid didn't really know if _she_ had yelled for their village elder or if someone else possessed the right mind to do so.

"Quit snapping at me, dragon. I'm here to help, Thor fucking damn it." Ruffnut appeared at her side and — surprisingly — Toothless let her. She carefully examined the wound. "Stab wound, I'd say." She pressed the bloodied cloth back on it, applying a good amount of pressure.

Hiccup yelped and his eyes snapped open, then closed again.

Not good, not good, not good, was all Astrid managed to think. Around them, the villagers were in an uproar to know what was going on.

"Take off his stupid mask," Ruff said. She had taken on the seriousness of a healer. "He needs to breathe. And we need to get him inside. That wound is not lethal on its own, but still needs to be cleaned and treated properly before he gets sick or it gets infected."

Astrid reached for Hiccup's mask with one hand, continuing to hold him up with the other. When she tried to carefully pull it off his head, she heard a rasped "Don't."

She gasped.

His eyes were half-lidded through the slits in the mask, probably going in and out of focus from all the blood he'd lost. But his pupils were fixed on her.

"Astrid."

"I'm here, babe," she said, voice loaded heavily with emotions. "You're gonna be okay. I'm here."

His hands rose and came to rest on her arms. Gods, his skin was icy. He needed to get inside and out of the oncoming storm. Fast. But she doubted the villagers would let them. Or Stoick.

"What happened?"

Hiccup's eyelids dropped again and she feared he would slip back into unconsciousness. He needed Gothi.

"Johann," he rasped.

"What?"

He took a deep breath, exhaustion letting his fingers slip down her arms, but he didn't let go entirely. "Johann," he repeated. "He's— Drago's brother."

Now, Astrid felt really sick again. Though it had nothing to do with her morning sickness.

Trader Johann was Drago Bludvist's brother? They had trusted him, had worked with him. Sure, something had always felt a little off about him. But this?

"I— I thought…" Hiccup fought through every word, "he'd… hurt you."

"Alright," Ruffnut said before Astrid could respond. But she doubted Hiccup was able to stay conscious much longer anyway. "While this is all sweet 'n stuff, we need to get him inside _now_. That bandage needs changing and I think the village's about to rip our heads off."

But before either of the two women could do any more, Stoick the Vast finally managed to push through the crowd of people surrounding them and glowered at them.

"Ye two," he pointed his finger at them, red with anger. "Get away from tha' dragon an' tha' man. Immediately."

Astrid slid out of her husband's weak grasp on her and he slumped forward again, shaking arms braced on the saddle. Toothless snarled at the Chief. Astrid took on a defencive stance as well, ready to lift her axe again should the tribe give her any reason to do so. She would fight to keep the man she loved and his dragon safe. Another option would be to simply reveal Hiccup's identity to them — that he was none other than the young man they all believed dead. But that would only complicate things more than they had time for. And Stoick didn't look like he was in the mood for more big surprises right about now.

"I said," Stoick pressed out between gritted teeth, lifting his battle-axe, "get away from that dragon, Astrid. An' Ruffnut, same goes fer ye."

"Sorry, Chief," the female Thorston twin said. She still had her hands pressed to Hiccup's wound, eyes flitting about in search for Gothi. "He's wounded. I ain't going anywhere."

"Neither will I," Astrid lifted her own weapon and stared at her Chief. Who — if such a thing was even possible — grew so red upon being challenged like this, his skin colour matched his flaming beard.

"If ye don't step away _right now_ I'll have ye arrested an' put on trial fer—"

"I _am_ already on trial, sir," Astrid said. "And with all due respect, sir, but he needs medical help. Now."

"Killin's wha' he needs!" someone yelled and a chorus of approval rang across the village square. Astrid's gut churned.

"Aye! Everybody who sympathises wi' those beasts should be made a head shorter!"

"Slit 'is throat an' be done wi' it! Ad' the dragon right wi' 'im!"

"No! Hang him!"

"Quiet!" Gobber — who had appeared next to Stoick, followed by Snotlout and Spitelout — shouted at them, shaking his hook. "We are nae barbarians 'round here. Or has the rain washed away all of yer common sense?"

"Astrid," Stoick said and took a step forward, but was stopped by a growling Toothless. "I'll not waste resources on a traitor ta mankind. He landed on this island on his own risk an' he'll have ta deal wi' the consequences."

"But—"

"No! He's a stranger an' one who sits on the back of a Night Fury of all things. He is — by effect — our enemy. I won't provide our enemies with medical help."

"Sir, if you'd just—"

"Astrid! I don't know what ye've gone through in the past year ta make you behave like this. But ye've acted strangely enough since ye've been back an' now ye want ta help a random stranger who flied in on dragonback? Maybe the council was right what your loyalties regard—"

"He's not a random stranger!" Astrid shouted, fed up to the brim. "He's my husband!"

"And he still needs Gothi," Ruffnut supplied.

An uproar rang through the crowd. Snotlout stumbled back, disbelief and disgust rippling his face. Betrayal. Fish and Tuff behind him didn't look any better. In that moment, Astrid regretted more than anything only having told Ruff the whole truth and keeping the rest of her friends entirely in the dark. Ruffnut had been wary about the whole dragons-are-good part of it, but she still stood next to Astrid right now. A little more help, though, would make convincing Stoick more easy.

"Excuse me?" the Chief said. "I really hope I've misheard ye."

Astrid jutted her chin forward defiantly. "You haven't, sir." She threw a glance over her shoulder. Hiccup had given up holding himself at least somewhat upright and lay slumped over Toothless' neck once more. Tears clogged her throat. If they denied him Gothi's help much longer then he'd succumb to the blood-loss and the strain the awful weather was putting on him

She turned back to the Chief. He didn't even know it was his _son_ , his own flesh and blood, that he was condemning.

"Please, Chief," she said, but it came out more like a croak. Her voice laden with emotions; cracking. "Please, let Gothi help him."

"He's riding a dragon, lass! Our worst enemy!"

She shook her head. Trying to explain now that it wasn't dragons in general or that the real enemy was Drago Bludvist and… Trader Johann would take time they didn't have just now.

"I promise I'll explain everything." She dropped her axe and clasped her hands desperately. She'd start begging if needed. If they'd just let Gothi through and save Hiccup. "I'll tell you everything you want to know. But please. He's wounded and needs help. I'll do everything you want. Please!" Tears streamed down her face, melting together with the pouring rain. She started sobbing. "Please."

Stoick the Vast moved his hard look from her to the young man on the dragon, scowling. He wasn't a cruel man, Astrid knew that. But she also knew that he always put the needs and safety of his people first. And Hiccup and Toothless seemed like a threat to him.

Then, Gobber stepped forward, hand and hook held up as he approached her to keep the still growling Toothless from immediately biting his head off. "Easy there." He placed his hand on her shoulder, looking intently into her eyes, searching for something in them. What, she didn't know. Then, he looked over to Hiccup and nodded.

"It's him, isn't it, lass?"

"What?"

"Do nae try ta fool me, lass. I'd recognise his handiwork anywhere." He gestured to her axe. "I never truly believed him dead. Just… gone. So?" His voice was no louder than a whisper. "I do nae know why ye're keepin' it a secret, but ye must have yer reasons. But I need an honest answer if I'm ta convince tha' stubborn yak o'er there." He pointed his hook over to the angry chief.

Astrid hesitated for only a moment. She needed all the help she could get it seemed.

She nodded. "Yes," she mumbled. "It's really him."

Gobber dipped his head and she noticed how his eyes were shining. He turned back to their red-faced Chief.

"Och, Chief. Let Gothi treat 'im."

"Gobber," Stoick groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Listen. Astrid already told us tha' her Horren is nae on his stepfather's side. He could give us more intel on the whole matter. Could come in quite handy."

Stoick stopped for a moment and Astrid could practically _see_ him weighing his options out against one another. Gobber pushed it a bit further.

" _So what_ if he's sitting on a dragon? Maybe tha' could help us wi' the raids. An' clearly the lass cares about him. An' if I know one thing fer sure, then it's tha' she's an excellent judge o' character."

Stoick twirled his axe between his fingers and scowled. "I don't like this."

"Ye do nae have ta like this, Chief. But if Astrid can vouch tha' the dragon won't be a problem, then I do nae see a reason not ta give this a shot."

"Any time now, Chief!" Ruffnut called, a hint of panic creeping into her voice. They were running out of time. And she didn't even know how long Hiccup had already flown with that wound before touching down on Berk.

Astrid placed her hand on Toothless' snout, a silent request to calm down. With some hesitation, he ceased his growls and lowered his wings. The questioning coo he gave her was his way of telling her that he was just worried about his rider and trying to protect him. Smart dragon.

"Astrid?" Stoick prompted. "Do ye vouch fer the behaviour of that… beast?"

"I do, sir," she said quickly, regaining her posture. "I promise you he'll not be a problem as long as you don't threaten his rider or try to outright attack him."

The Chief was silent for a beat, torn between his instincts and the need to do everything to protect his people from the looming threat on the horizon. Then—

"Take the dragon to the Ring. I want it locked behind the strongest gate we have." A bunch of men came at them, ready to take Toothless away. One muzzled him and another kept his trail from thrashing. Toothless shot Astrid a panicked look that broke her heart.

"It's okay, boy," she assured him and gave him a quick scratch behind his ear-flaps. "It's gonna be okay. But you need to behave. Can you do that for me?"

Toothless cooed again and then gave her a low warble.

"Gothi!"

The tiny woman appeared out of no where next to Ruffnut, already examining before the Chief had had the opportunity to finish his command.

"I want him in the condition fer questioning as soon as possible."

Astrid said a quick 'thank you' to Stoick before reaching for Hiccup. "It's gonna be alright, babe," she mumbled more to herself than to him as she loosened the buckles securing him to Toothless. Before she could react, a pair of meaty hands was already hefting him out of the saddle. Fishlegs carefully held Hiccup in his arms, face full of conflict.

"Where to?"

"My house." She could question it later. For now, she was just glad to find all of her friends racing with her to save her husband's life.

 **A/N:**

Sooo, who saw that coming? Hiccup barely alive thanks to Johann and his father's stubbornness. Bet that wasn't the reunion ya'll had hoped for ;P But I couldn't make it too easy now, could I. After all, I need to keep things tense and I do love me some whump and angst :D

I had originally planned for this to be up like… two weeks ago! But life has this really annoying habit of getting in the way and holy fuck work's been so crazy with the great majority of my coworkers dropping ill and since we always need at least two people in one shift… ya'll can imagine how crazy that is. (btw, I work in a nursing facility for children so yeah… everyone plus the kids ill ain't fun, I can say that much) So, I'm really glad that things are slowly going uphill for me again while… well, I'm not gonna say if it's also gonna go that way for Hiccup, Astrid and co.

Anyway, thank you for the amazing reviews! They really help cheer me up so I pulled them up whenever I felt really down and exhausted and done with everything the past three weeks. So thank you.

And jimmix: You were wondering how such troop movement manages to stay undetected. Well, the way I imagined it is that Drago sends his army in small groups to stay inconspicuous. Many would stay out at sea until the right time comes. And the only accumulation of more troops is at the Northern Markets (because Drago's got that almost completely under his thumb already) and the couple of islands his men themselves use for training and camping grounds (I believe I mentioned them in chapter 15? Or something?). I hope that gives a better explanation to what's going on :)

Anyone who has questions, feel free to do so! :)

Until next time!


	24. Act III: Trust-me-not

Gothi had made quick work of Hiccup's work. It had been quite a struggle to convince her to leave the mask on. But whenever the small woman tried removing it, Hiccup would wake for a moment to ask Gothi not to. Eventually, the healer had given up with exasperatedly thrown up hands. Gothi had twitched her staff at him, but the whack with it had instead hone to the bedpost.

Astrid suspected Hiccup's reluctance to reveal himself — even though he was weakened from all the blood he'd lost — had more to do with Snotlout, Fishlegs and the Twins fussing about in Astrid's small house than with the healer herself. She wouldn't even be surprised if Gothi already knew the man she was treating was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and not some foreign man whose only connection to Berk was Astrid. Before Gothi left — having patched Hiccup up with stitches and proper bandages — she gave Astrid a couple of herbs and salves she was to give him twice a day to prevent inflammation of the wound and ward him against other illnesses while he was recovering. Right now, event the common cold would worsen his condition remarkably. They had taken too long to get him into the warmth of the house and treated.

"Alright, alright, alright." Ruffnut shooed at the three young men sitting in front of Astrid's fireplace. Fish and Tuff were talking in hushed but agitated voices. Probably about the whole debacle at the village square. "Stop acting like a bunch of gossipping old hags."

Astrid put a kettle over the fire and waited for it to heat up.

"You're awfully calm about all this, Ruff," Fish said, picking at his tunic and wringing his hands. "I mean, there was a _Night Fury_ right in our village and you didn't even hesitate to… go help that man."

Ruffnut snorted. "Yeah, because Gothi would throw me off a cliff if I hadn't even attempted to help. She'd end my apprenticeship without batting an eye."

"Hey, sis," Tuff said. For once, he wasn't acting like the prankster he was, but actually looked dead serious. "I don't think that's what he meant. You weren't even surprised when Astrid dropped that whole 'that's my husband' bomb on Stoick. You weren't surprised by any of this crazy shit!"

"And if Tuffnut says 'crazy shit' then you know it's bad," Fish said.

Snotlout only sat there with crossed arms and a frown on his face. He hadn't said a word after asking Gothi if there was anything he could help with. And somehow, his cold silence and the disappointment on his face were even worse than the constant blabbering of the others.

"Yeah, you morons. That's because I knew what was going on the moment the words 'Night Fury' fell and Astrid made a bee-line for it." Ruffnut shook her head and acted as though the whole situation wasn't completely fucked up.

"You knew?" Fishlegs asked. Ruffnut nodded.

"Just _how_ much more than us do you know exactly."

Ruffnut exchanged a look with Astrid. She wouldn't tell the boys anything without permission; Astrid was certain of it.

"A lot," was what the Thorston girl eventually settled with.

Fishlegs didn't seem satisfied with that answer, but thankfully didn't push it.

The water in the kettle slowly started to bubble and steam rose from it. Astrid took the kettle off the fire. She didn't need it to go to a full boil, just the starting of it or otherwise all the good essentials oils of the herbs would just dissipate into the air and be lost. She threw in a small handful of Gothi's herbs, stirred, and set a plate over the kettle. A little trick she'd learnt from tending to her mother. The plate would keep all the good oils the steam sucked out of the herbs above the kettle and they would drip right back into the tea, allowing it to gain its full potential as medicine.

Astrid tuned out her friends while waiting for the tea to steep. After a couple of minutes, she got out a smaller cup, placed a cloth over it and slowly poured the tea, catching the little leaves of the herbs along the way. She didn't want Hiccup to accidentally choke on them. The plate went back onto the kettle and the kettle with the remaining tea near the fire to keep for later. The cup she'd just poured was still a little too hot, so she busied herself with cleaning up her kitchen area that — truth be told — consisted only of a small trunk of supplies, another one for some food she stored, a table and chairs, and the fireplace. She didn't need much since she usually got her meals at the Mead Hall.

Astrid checked the temperature of the tea again. It should be safe for consummation now. She took the cup and climbed up the steps to the upper floor of her small house. Her bedroom was held as minimalistic as the rest of it; only the bare necessities and nothing more. Anything she held dear to her heat she kept in a trunk placed in a hole behind her house that was sealed with a lid. The knocked out young man lying on her bed and the bandages strewn out on the nightstand were the only things out of place that indicated that this wasn't a ghosthouse.

Astrid covered the entrance of her bedroom with the spare fur Fish had hung for her from the rafters as a makeshift curtain. She cursed herself silently for not bothering a little bit more with privacy whenever the house needed to be repaired or rebuild.

Hiccup still had his flying mask on. It couldn't really be comfortable, but he'd stubbornly insisted lest he was found out while out cold from his injuries. But Astrid had enough of that stupid thing covering his face. She needed to _see_ _him_ , not the dragonesque design. And she couldn't really make him drink the tea with it on, either.

Astrid sat down next to her husband's limp form and placed a hand on his chest right above his heart. She _could_ see and hear him breathing, but the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm was more reassuring. He was _here_. Astrid still couldn't believe he actually was.

Hiccup mumbled something, but his eyes stayed firmly shut. He could be half awake. Or he could be deep asleep and dreaming. Either way, Astrid sat the cup of tea on the nightstand and leaned forward.

"Babe, I'm gonna take off your mask now, okay?" she asked quietly and reached for the metal-enforced leather. He didn't react. Astrid gently lifted his head and slipped the mask off. Her breath hitched.

He didn't have bruises covering his face like she had expected after facing off against Johann. But dark circles were underneath his eyes and his freckles stood out against his ashen complexion. Astrid touched his cheek — cold.

But his heart was beating strong and he was alive and she thanked all the gods that he hadn't caught a fever yet.

Astrid briefly pressed her lips to his forehead before reaching for the additional pillows Ruffnut had made her brother bring over so Astrid could prop Hiccup up when needed.

And that was what she did. She lifted his upper body up, put the pillows at the headboard and lowered him against them. It wasn't a perfect position, but she couldn't very well shuffle him further up alone with his injury. But for the moment, it would have to do.

Hiccup mumbled again something she couldn't make out and she whispered soothing words back to him — whether he heard it or not didn't matter.

When her mother had been ill and too weak to eat and drink on her own, Astrid had sat by her side and helped her — even when Haldis Hofferson was caught in fever dreams and wouldn't wake for days at a time. And feeding someone who was occasionally thrashing about in her sleep was a whole lot more difficult than feeding someone tea who was mostly a lying still. Hiccup's reflexes let him swallow without a problem while she slowly poured the tea into his mouth; one drip at a time. She didn't give him all of it at once, though, lest he feel sick for downing a large cup without a break and onto a probably mostly empty stomach.

Astrid lowered his head back against the pillows. He had taken on a the slightest bit of colour again and his skin didn't feel _as_ icy as it had before. The hot tea had helped him warm up again. She'd make him a light broth later to keep him warm from within.

Soups and broths. The only meal she knew how to make and again she'd acquired that particular skill because of her mother's illness.

"Please get better soon," Astrid whispered and combed her fingers through Hiccup's tangled hair, gently separating the tangles in it until it ran smoothly between her fingers.

She had missed him so much for th past two months, heart aching and yearning for the day she got to see him again. And now that he was finally reunited with her, the feeling only worsened. It was a far cry from the reunion she'd imagined. And she couldn't shake the fear that she might loose him for good now — either to the aftermath of his injury or at the hands of the village and their prejudices against dragons and the man who rode one. Should the latter be the case, her own life would be at risk as well. After all, she too rode one and she had acted familiar with Toothless.

And then there was the matter of her pregnancy. Hiccup didn't even know he was going to be a father. Her baby-bump was slowly beginning to show and he still didn't know. He was back with her and yet she couldn't tell him those news.

Astrid was farther down her pregnancy than she had thought. Gothi and her had approximated her to be roughly at the ten-weeks-mark. But her middle was already swelling slightly — something that usually shouldn't happen for another couple of weeks. Even if Hiccup and Toothless hadn't touched down on Berk and she would have had to marry Snotlout in a week or two, there would have been no hiding that she had already been with child the moment she set foot onto Berk again.

The gods really had an awful sense of humour.

Astrid sighed. She couldn't give up hope that everything would turn out alright.

She gave Hiccup the last bit of the tea and then plucked the additional pillows out from under him, letting him lay down properly again. She tucked the furs tight around his body, left another kiss on his forehead and then quietly walked back downstairs. If she looked at his limp shape and colourless face much longer, she'd only be overwhelmed by emotions again and with tears streaming down her face. She didn't seem to be the master of them these days. She was tired of crying.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed that Fishlegs and Tuffnut had left. Ruffnut stirred something above the fire and Snotlout still stat in the same place as before. He was brooding ans wouldn't meet her eyes through she was certain that he must see her looking at him.

Astrid flopped down on an empty chair, energy drained. Someone must have brought some more chairs, she noticed then. She possessed two, not the five that were scattered throughout the main room of her small house that felt even smaller with all these things standing around.

"Tuff and Fish went to check on the dragon," Ruff said. "I told them to make sure it stays alive and well. I don't trust the village very much right now."

"Thank," Astrid said. "What are you doing there?"

"Cooking out bandages and cloths. Wouldn't want to risk the wound getting infected and festering just because we're working with dirty rags. Proper wound treatment is _key_ right now."

Astrid shook her head. "You become a completely different person when playing healer, you know that?"

Ruffnut stuck out her tongue at her. "Don't you worry, girl. I'll still go wreak some havoc with Tuff later. I need my daily fill of Loki-worshipping. _Especially_ after a day like this."

Snotlout looked up then and frowned at Ruff. "If you make my life more complicated than it already is by making me clean up after you two morons, I'll throw you in a dungeon and feed the key to a dragon."

Ruffnut loudly drew breath in mock surprise. "Look! It lives and talks! I was beginning to think a dragon got your tongue."

Snotlout ignored her and turned to Astrid. "Did you just forget to mention this Horren guy likes to fly on dragons or was that deliberate?" His blue eyes were like ice — piercing right through her and leaving an uncomfortable sensation behind. A storm raging in the coldest of winters. And Astrid had to weather it.

"Snot," she started. "I'm sorry. There's a lot I couldn't tell you. And more I still can't. It's— too dangerous."

He huffed. "Don't tell me about dangerous, Astrid. There's a war coming. A war that _you_ told us to get prepared for even though we're already busy enough with the dragon raids. Do you think none of _that_ is any dangerous? And I'm risking my hide every time I speak to the council on your behalf. The least you could have done was tell me the fucking truth."

Astrid flinched. His voice had grown louder with every word and he banged his fist against the wall. But the worst thing was, he was right.

"You know that dragon," he continued. "You _petted_ the damn beast like it was a fucking dog! You already stood accused of treason because of this whole thing with Bludvist. But now this? You might as well sign your funeral papers right now. Your husband's too. I doubt they'll let him live."

"They can't kill him," Astrid said defiantly.

"But they _will_."

"No, they won't. They don't know the whole truth yet, but I can't tell them as long as Horren's still unconscious."

"Why in Helheim not? You keep your mouth shut much longer and you're _both_ done for!"

"Because it's not my secret to share. I promised him. And I won't put him in a situation he didn't chose to be in."

Snotlout covered his face with his large hands. "Just tell me what you can right now and I'll see what damage control I can do at the council."

Astrid blinked, taken aback by his sudden calmness. "You're… still helping me? Even though I left you in the dark about so much?"

Snotlout smiled, but it looked more like a strained grimace. "You're my friend, Astrid. A shitty friend as of late, but still. You stood by me and helped me when I was struggling with being appointed heir and… the other thing I was going through." He waved his hand about and she knew he meant his preferring men over women. "You kept me from making some stupid-ass mistakes. And now it's time I do the same for you. It's only fair. And… well, that's what friends do, right? Help each other out. But I do need a little bit to work with here so I _can_ help you."

He was right. Again. The council would tear the case apart before Astrid would be granted time to speak in Hiccup's and her defence. But Snotlout would. They'd listen at least somewhat to him.

So Astrid told him. Most everything. About Toothless and how she'd first met the dragon and the deep connection he had with his rider. She didn't tell him about Valka as that was a whole other mess she didn't know what to make of. But she told Snotlout about Stormfly and her offspring and how Astrid had spent hours flying on her Nadder over the lands with her husband on Toothless right next to her.

Snotlout sat stone-faced through it all. Even as she tried to illustrate the experience of flying as vividly as she could with words he did not react. Ruffnut kept stirring her soup and threw in words of amazement and awed at the right places.

"I know that dragon seem to you as vicious beasts with only killing and raiding on their mind," she said, "but they are so much more. They are kind and compassionate creatures. They are curious, protective, loyal. Their true nature isn't destructive and violent at all. Outside of Berk, I've experienced them to only attack when threatened. Why the dragons behave how they do during the raids is still a mystery to me. But I can assure you, Toothless is not a threat to anyone. He only wanted to defend Horren back at the village square. Nothing more."

Astrid stopped and waited for a reaction. Snotlout set his jaw and then relaxed it again, splaying his fingers out on the table.

"It's heresy." His voice was strained and barely a whisper above the crackling fire. "I… I can't begin to wrap my mind around what you just told me."

"But it's the truth."

"You were the fiercest of us, remember?" he said, staring into the fire. He tapped a finger on the wood. "After dragon training, you were always the one with the most kills during the raids. I was still too angry at… my cousin's passing to fight properly. But you kept your focus at all times, never distracted, never slacking off the slightest." Astrid shuddered at the memory. She had been a different person then, hadn't known the truth and never been sorry for the killing blow she delivered with swift precision.

"You always kept reminding us why we needed to keep pushing harder and aim for more kills, for less dragons that would come back the next time around. I remember how you kicked all of our butts when we'd gotten a little too drunk to do much more than throw up a shield in time to defend ourselves. 'They are the enemy, you mutton heads' you'd said. 'They aren't going to have mercy on you just because you're too drunk to do something. They are bloodthirsty beasts and will kill you without thinking twice.' Those were your words, remember?"

Astrid did remember. The mindset she'd had up until the day she met Toothless chilled her now. She didn't blame herself for believing something she'd grown up with. But she _did_ blame herself for not thinking more about it and seeing further than the end of her axe's blade.

"I just…" Snotlout shook his head. "You say that you are friends with those beasts now. That… you have your own dragon to fly on. But whenever there's a raid you're still one of the first on the battlefield. I've still seen you kill dragons over the past few weeks, but you just said you're fond of them. How?"

"Because in the end, they are just animals," Astrid said, though the words rang hollow. "They keep attacking our village and if I don't deal the killing blow when I have to, people will get hurt. I can't put the wellbeing of the dragons who steal our food and burn down our houses above that of the people I grew up around. It breaks my heart whenever I see one of them fall, but I can't save everyone. I… don't know why the dragons around here keep attacking us. They act so differently to how I've come to know them in the south. Maybe it has something to do with the Nest, or maybe the weather just doesn't become them, or they are on a bad diet, or I don't know! I just know that it's not normal, but that Toothless is so, _so_ different to them. Stormfly is, too."

"What do you mean, bad diet?" Ruff threw in. Snotlout and Astrid snapped around to her. She'd completely blended her out for a moment. "The dragons come in here and take what they can get and preferably the big livestock. Don't you think they'd just… I dunno, take what they want and need instead of taking things that don't become them? I mean, as long as they don't get a taste for Viking…"

"They eat fish," Astrid said, blinking. "Stormfly does enjoy chicken as a special treat, but her main diet is all the fish she can get. Except for eel. Dragons are _terrified_ of eel."

Snotlout threw his head back, groaned and pressed his fists to his eyes. "Then why in Odin's name do they steal our livestock? I'll go send out a fleet of fishermen right now to prepare them a meal if only they'll leave our village alone."

"Like I said, I have no idea." Astrid shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "I'm sure Hi—Horren would be able to help figure it out. Though, he has to stay alive and get better for that, first."

Snotlout frowned and put his hands down. "One last thing before I head off to face the council. Your voice always hitches right before you speak your husband's name." He gestured to Astrid. "At first I thought it was just because you were getting all emotional or something, but…" He scrutinised her for an agonising moment. Astrid grazed her teeth over her lip. He was about to demand to know about the one thing she couldn't tell him.

"It's not his real name," Ruffnut gave up instead, saving Snot the time to formulate his thoughts.

"Then what is?"

"Can't tell you," Astrid said.

"Is it the same reason why he doesn't take that ridiculous mask off?"

Astrid sighed. "Yes. But that's all I'm telling you right now. Sorry."

Snotlout just shrugged. "Not like that's any new to me." His voice betrayed his cool demeanour and gave away just how hurt he felt because she had felt the need to shut him out when she'd let Ruffnut in even though he'd shared his deepest fears and secrets with her once. Astrid felt like the shittiest friend in the world, then. But it was nothing she could change now, only hope to do better in the future.

A loud _thump_ sounded at the backdoor just as Snotlout made to stand up; he had a council meeting to attend to, after all.

Astrid frowned. If someone had been listening in on them, they wouldn't have hurled themselves against the house like that. And the door wasn't locked, either, should they have wished to enter.

"Animal?" asked Ruffnut. She was laying out the cooked bandages and placed them neatly on the sill over the fireplace to dry.

"No." Snot marched toward the back of the house, one hand on the knife at his belt. He threw the door open. There was nothing but the dreadful weather to greet him. Astrid came to stand behind him.

"What in Thor's name?" she mumbled. They couldn't have all imagined the noise. Something had knocked against her door. But there was no one to be seen and her house was on the outer rim of the village with it's back toward the first trees of the forest. She leaned out to inspect the ground through the threads of rain pouring down and noticed a set of footprints coming to and from the threshold, taking the same path off into the woods.

"Who in their right mind would be out there in this weather?" Snot wondered.

"That would be all the people wanting to do things they don't intend to be caught with," Ruff supplied. "Take me and Tuff, for example. We _always_ sneak about in the dark or during a storm. Makes for great cover when executing pranks."

"Yeah, well. Those footprints are too small to be Tuff's and you're here. So it couldn't have been you two muttonheads.

"Guys," Astrid interrupted before her friends could start bickering. She had taken a few steps out into the open and already felt the rain seeping through her clothes. She stood facing her half open back-door. A bright blue Nadder's spine was stuck in the wood, a folded sheet of paper pinned down with it. That's what must've made the _thump_. She tugged the spine out of the wood and grabbed the paper. Before the rain could make any message scrawled on it illegible, Astrid retreated into her house, shutting the door behind her.

"What's that?" Snot peered over her shoulder.

"What's it look like?" Astrid asked back and rolled her eyes, unfolding the paper. She recognised the looped handwriting immediately.

 _A,_

 _Meet us at The Cove in the forest after nightfall. You know which one. It's important._

 _H & E_

Heather and Eret.

Astrid couldn't believe it. Not only had Hiccup found his way back to her, but the two friends she had made in Greuelorm as well. And that could mean…

She looked more closely at the spine still in her hand. Sky blue with hints of yellow bright as the sun. The colouring was unmistakably Stormfly's.

Hiccup must've taught their friends how to fly on dragonback — not that Stormfly was a difficult dragon to fly if she liked you and knew you weren't that experienced yet. But…

Did they know what had happened to Hiccup? Had they been there? Astrid doubted it. Heather and Eret would never have let Hiccup fly far on his own in with an injury like that. He must've faced off against Johann on his own. But then how had they known where to come and when?

"Astrid!" Ruffnut yelled into her ear and she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Hm?"

"You zoomed out again. We've been asking you stuff," Ruff said and took the paper out of her hands. "What's going on? What is this? Can you… read that?"

Snotlout snatched the paper. "What kind of language is that?" He peered closely at the writing and then held it away at arms length as though that would help him untangle a language he didn't know.

Astrid sighed and crossed her arms. "It's English. And yes, I can read it. I had to learn it on the mainland, remember?"

"Who'd write you a message in English?" Snot asked, then started. "Wait. Are more of your friends from the mainland here on Berk?"

The instinct to tend to secrecy she had build up over her time in Greuelorm and the weeks she had to hide most everything here on Berk told her to fabricate a lie. To not tell her friends the truth. But she had just had a conversation about that particular habit with Snot and she didn't want to lie to her friends any more. To any of them. Lies and secrecy only fed distrust and misery.

"Yes," Astrid said. "Heather and Eret. They are good friends. They probably didn't want anyone other than me knowing the content of the message."

"Which is?" Ruff prompted.

"To come meet them at a cove near Raven Point. After nightfall."

Snot ripped his eyes wide open. "They know the geography of Berk? What's next, they fly in here on a dragon and take over?"

Astrid bit her tongue that wanted to tell him that Heather and Eret most likely _had_ flown in on a dragon. And since Eret was Hiccup's closest friend and Hiccup had told him everything, Eret could probably navigate Berk perfectly without ever having been here before. And the cove where Hiccup had met Toothless — a place that was a as important to Hiccup as the crater had been — was certainly a place Eret would know.

"Don't be ridiculous," Ruff said. "They wouldn't announce themselves if they had wanted to conquer. Maybe they just want a nice little chat with Astrid. You know, catching up and stuff."

"You're not actually gonna go to that meeting, are you?" Snot asked. He looked… kind of exasperated. Understandably so, since his whole day so far had only been a series of unpleasant revelations after another.

"I am," Astrid replied. "It must be something important. Heather wouldn't risk sneaking about the village during a storm if it wasn't."

"Helheim no, you aren't."

Astrid scowled. "Don't tell me what to do and not to do, Snot. I'm going and—" she stopped herself and thought about the entire situation for a moment. She turned to Ruffnut who was looking at her with a cocked eyebrow. "Well, I'm going if you could stay here and, you know—"

"Of course," she said. "I'll have Tuff or Fish over as well should someone try to attempt breaking 'n entering to assassinate your hubby." She smirked. "And hey, maybe I'll go sneak a look underneath that mask."

"You won't!"

Ruffnut winked cockily. "I've heard he's rather handsome. Among… other things."

"Ruff," Astrid exclaimed before the other girl could indulge in further improper descriptions of Hiccup.

After Astrid had told her about his identity, Ruffnut had had the audacity to ask if he was a Hiccup all over. Astrid had gone bright red and refused to answer because it — quite frankly — wasn't any of Ruff's business. But Ruffnut had made her own guesses based on Astrid's reaction and ever since had been teasing Astrid about it, every chance that she got. Always in good humour, though.

Ruffnut just cackled and Snotlout looked back and forth between the two young women, confusion written brightly on his face.

"I'm coming with you," he said, shaking his head.

"Huh?"

"To that meeting. I'm coming with you. I won't let you wander through the woods alone right now. There's too many people who probably are out for your blood after the little show on the village square today."

"Snot," Astrid said. "You don't need to babysit me. I'll be fine. And should anyone try to do anything to me, they'll meet the sharp side of my axe."

He shook his head and headed for the door. "I know you'll be fine. But _I'll_ feel better if I come with you. Please, Ast."

She stared at him for a long moment, his hand on the door, staring right back at her with that lost look he sometimes got. Sometimes it was easy to forget just how broken he was underneath his arrogant, cocky, hard facade.

Astrid nodded in defeat. "Alright. You can come with me. Meet me at the edge of the forest at sundown."

=0=

Snotlout would be lying if he said he disagreed wholeheartedly with the council and their opinion of the mysterious man who rode on the back of a dragon. A Night Fury, no less. The last time he had heard about one of those around the Archipelago had been when his late cousin claimed to have shot one out of the sky. That was almost six years ago. Ever since that day, the village hadn't been attacked by that particular dragon anymore and Snotlout had always silently wondered if perhaps Hiccup _had_ shot down a Night Fury; as crazy as the thought was. And in his imagination, the very same dragon had been responsible for his death. No other dragon they had ever encountered had such dark scales that they blended right in with the night sky.

It was an irony that they now were housing one of those beasts in the Kill Ring. Hiccup had been supposed to make the graduation kill there. The dragon of the same species that had killed him would most likely die there now.

A life for a life. It was only fair.

But then there was Astrid and her obvious care not only for her husband — the dragon's rider — but for the beast as well. Snotlout couldn't really wrap his mind around it. Astrid Hofferson, once Berk's most valued shield-maiden to-be, the woman Snotlout would have chosen to be his second-in-command the moment he took over as chief. And she was sympathising with the Viking's mortal enemy ever since they had first set foot onto these lands some three-hundred years ago. And hadn't Snotlout seen Astrid interact with the Night Fury himself, he wouldn't have believed a word of it and declared the person telling him such ridiculous stories bat-shit crazy.

"We should just kill the beast an' be done wi' it," Hoark said to the council and earned a round of agreeing grunts.

"An' the man?," Mulch asked. "Gobber suggested he might be able ta help us wi' the raids."

Spitelout shook his head. "Not worth it. He's Drago Bludvist's son. We shouldn't trust him one bit. I say we put his head an' the dragon's on a spike and make it an example fer anyone tryin' ta get in league with the enemy."

"An' then what wi' Astrid, huh?" Gobber cut in. "Ye wanna put her head on a spike as well?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Spitelout huffed. "She's a woman and gullible. Drago and her husband brainwashed her into behavin' the way she does. She'll see reason with time and be thankful we got her there."

Snotlout stared at his father in shock. Neither was Astrid a gullible woman nor would she be thanking any of them if they killed her husband. She'd told him she loved that Horren guy, and seeing her worry over him today had shown Snotlout just how deep that love ran.

"Oh yes, she's gonna thank you," he said exasperatedly. "With her axe to your throat."

Gobber nodded in agreement. "Wouldnae wanna try angerin' her. And ye've already done so plenty o'er the last week."

Spitelout scowled. "She just doesn't see reason. Had she just signed those papers already, we wouldn't even be talkin' about her part in this right now."

The Chief — who had been rather quiet for most of the meeting — spoke up. "How so, brother? Ye wanted ta force her into marriage with Snotlout or have her outcast. Don't ye think she'd still have defended her husband even if she'd signed the papers?"

"I—"

"Dad," Snotlout cut in. "Face it. You aren't getting Astrid as your daughter-in-law, no matter how much you'd like that. And by the way, I'm kinda glad she doesn't have to make that decision anymore."

"Oh no, the deal isnae off the table, yet," Hoark said. He and Spitelout had been the pushing force to get those paper approved by the council. "Her husband may be here, but she could still agree ta have the marriage annulled an' marry Snotlout."

"Oh my Thor, has anyone ever thought that maybe _I_ don't want to marry _her_?" Snotlout barked. It wasn't the first time he'd said that.

"Oh, son, you don't know what you're talking' about." Spitelout Jorgenson waved his hands, his tone dismissive. "She's the best woman the Heir of Berk could ask for. She'll make a good wife ta you and secure the line with strong offspring."

Snotlout bit his tongue. He badly wanted to tell them that Astrid was already pregnant and wouldn't be conceiving children of his anyway — even if they were forced to marry after all. The couple times he'd tried being intimate with women had always ended in frustration.

"Men," Stoick said. "I believe we've gotten off topic. Astrid's marital status isn't what this is all about. We have a Night Fury in the Arena an' a possibly dangerous man Gothi is nursin' back ta health. _That's_ wha' we should be talkin' about. Not who ye fancy to bear yer grandchildren, Spitelout."

The two men stared at each other with glowers and heavy tension in the air. Snotlout squirmed in his seat. Things had been tense between his father and his uncle for a good while now. But since Astrid's return, the two were constantly arguing. They didn't represent the united front the village was used to lead them. They were working more against each other than alongside each other. And Snotlout felt like he was caught right in the middle of their little brother's feud.

But eventually, his father relented. "Fine. But we do need ta talk about Astrid as well. She obviously knows more than she lets on."

The council men agreed.

"Snotlout," Mulch said. "Did she mention anythin' prior to today that could've indicated her husband's alliance with the dragons? Or tha' maybe she's in league with them as well?"

Snotlout shook his head. "No. She's been fighting as viciously as always during the raids. And, I mean… She does help Gobber with the trainees, right?"

The blacksmith nodded. "She's been very helpful in keepin' the kids in line an' teachin' them how ta stay alive on the battlefield. Her tactics with them are not my style, but definitely effective. She knows what she's doing."

Bucket gave a little tug at the bucket on his head. He always got terrible headaches during storms and Snot guessed the man would like to be anywhere but sitting in this meeting right now. "She's a Hofferson. Of course she knows what she's doing on the battlefield. But," he gave another sharp tug and whined. "But she's also been holding back during the raids. Only killing if absolutely necessary an' tries ta scare the dragons away before attacking outright. She didn't use ta do it like that before she went away."

"Aye," Hoark said. "An' she's no stupid girl. If she's really sympathisin' with the enemy, then she must know we wouldnae approve o' that. She probably tried playin' us ta stay out o' trouble."

"So, what are we gonna do?" Spitelout asked.

"I want her in here for questioning," Stoick said. "She might be willing ta tell us her motives an' a little about tha' dragon."

"Did she tell you anything when ye were at her house today, boy?" Mulch asked and patted Bucket's shoulder as the bigger man let out another pitiful whine. "Maybe something about how much her husband knows about the dragon raids?"

Snotlout gnawed on his lip. This was starting to feel like _he_ was in for questioning instead of an active member of the inner council. And he didn't really know how much he could say without getting his friend in trouble. He had promised her he would try to help her, but Snotlout really wasn't the best at damage control.

"I— I really think you should directly ask her."

"Snotlout," the Chief said. "I know she is yer friend and ye clearly want ta protect her from any harm that might befall her depending on what you say." Snotlout opened his mouth to protest, but his uncle held up a hand. "Don't try ta say otherwise. It's admirable that ye want ta stand up fer yer friends an' don't want ta sell anyone out. But right now ye need ta stop being her friend and instead be Berk's heir. And as such, ye need ta tell us what you know."

Yep, definitely a questioning. "She didn't tell me what you'd like to know." It was a lie. Astrid had told him _exactly_ what they wanted to know. She knew that Horren would be able to help with the raids and she knew how to peacefully deal with the dragons herself. And she had confirmed that Horren would have even more information regarding Drago.

Snotlout stilled. Now, _that_ was something he could tell them. "We mostly spoke about how she could justify keeping such big secrets from me and the others. But… she did mention that Horren would be more than willing to help out with Drago. Apparently it's been even worse in the Bludvist household than she had wanted to let on at first."

Stoick nodded with a solemn expression. "Aye. Drago isnae a peaceful man an' I don't suppose he treats his own family much better than he treats a room full of Chieftains."

"The man must have some serious anger-management issues," Gobber quipped, twirling his moustache. Snotlout hadn't paid much attention to the senior blacksmith, but now he noticed the distant look in his eyes. Gobber kept his usual dry humour up, but he was… distracted. Snotlout frowned.

"But how can we be sure it isnae just a ruse? What if tha' boy played Astrid all along ta get her ta reveal Berk's secrets? He could be workin' with Drago an' destroy us from within." Hoark banged his fist on the table. "I say we get him in fer questioning an' force the answers outta him. Once we have what we need, we kill him. Rid the world of one more disappointment to the Gods."

The other men agreed. Only Gobber, the Chief and Snotlout stayed silent. Though Snotlout assumed all three of them for different reasons.

"Sorry ta disappoint you," he spoke up once the initial excitement over Hoark's idea died down. "But you can't question a man who's still knocked out from his injury. And also, Astrid won't leave his side, so you'd have to deal with her too."

"Got her axe freshly sharpened just this mornin'." Gobber shrugged at the foul looks he was earning. "Just sayin'."

"Ye're both starting ta sound like ye're defending Astrid and that man," Spitelout accused. "He came in here _riding_ on a Night Fury, one o' the most dangerous dragons there are. Ye can't truly expect us ta… coddle the enemy and start being hospitable ta him. This Horren should be thrown into jail instead o' being permitted our healer's help!"

Snotlout groaned and slumped back in his chair, his head falling backwards. He pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. All this arguing and the slowly swelling volume with which was spoken only fed the headache he'd been nursing since he'd laid eyes on the Night Fury in the village square with the man on its back and Astrid at their side.

 _Too much, too much, too much,_ chanted the voice inside his head. And it was. Too much. Ever since his father had declared he wanted Astrid as his daughter-in-law or wanted her gone, the stress in his life had increased exponentially by the day. And today he felt very close to his breaking-point. He already felt the cracks forming that would eventually have him either snap or break down completely.

Snotlout just hoped that meeting Astrid's friends from the mainland would answer more questions and help figure all this out. But before that, he'd check if Ruff had some of her wonder-herbs left she gave him whenever he felt particularly on the edge. Over the years he'd been Heir now, he'd only needed them a couple times, maybe two dozen if he rounded up. Never before had he gone to her for them twice in one week.

This would be the third.

=0=

Astrid only reluctantly left the house that evening. Chances that they'd get another raid that night were low, but that didn't mean nothing bad could happen that night. Ruffnut had promised to keep an eye on Hiccup and Tuffnut and Fishlegs had just shown up to guard the house, but it still felt wrong leaving when Hiccup could wake up any minute. Astrid wanted to be there when he did, to hold him and hear his voice again. She also wanted to be there in case his condition worsened despite Gothi's reassurances.

The storm that had brewed up at noon had dissipated into a constant pitter-patter of rain, but not before leaving a coat of mud all across the village and blowing a couple unsteady structures about. Silent Sven's sheep had broken free of their enclosure and stampeded all over the docks right before dinner time. But the aftermath of the storm also meant that everybody would be too exhausted or still busy to pay any attention to her sneaking out the back of her house and meeting Snotlout at the edge of the forest just as the sun touched the horizon and quickly crept behind it.

Astrid wrapped her coat tighter around her to keep the chill away from her bones. The walk over to Raven Point took usually about half an hour. But with the sodden earth, the paths weren't as easy to navigate.

They didn't speak much on the way to the cove at Raven Point. Snotlout quickly informed her of what the council had discussed, but then they fell into silence, treading the muddy path. The closer they got to the cove, the more anxious Astrid became. She hadn't seen her friends in over two months and didn't know the first thing of what had happened in Greuelorm after her sudden departure. She hoped they could tell her. And that Heather would forgive her for disappearing without a proper goodbye, because the letter Astrid had left behind had been a sorry excuse of such.

The boulder that hid the entrance to the cove from view for anyone who didn't know it was there appeared before them. It was the same boulder she had lost Hiccup's tracks when she'd followed him after a particularly frustrating morning learning how to kill dragons in the Arena. One moment he had been there and the next he was gone. Astrid hadn't noticed the path leading down in the shadows of the boulder and the rocky slope of Berk's mountain, then. Now, she slid between the rocks and the cove opened up in front of her. She couldn't see much in the darkness and the curtain of rain, but the bright blue and yellow Nadder stood out against it all.

Astrid let out a little squeal and hopped down, one rock to the next until she hit the ground. She didn't stop to check if Snotlout was following her. She let out a whistle and the Nadder's head perked up, cawing. Stormfly jumped up from where she sat crouched under a ledge and flapped towards Astrid. She landed right in front of her and Astrid didn't waste time throwing her arms around her dragon's beak, laughing.

"Hey, girl," she cooed as Stormfly nuzzled against her. "I've missed you. So much."

Stormfly trilled and gently nudged her as if to say _I've missed you, too_. Then she raised her beak and growled. Her wings opened up over Astrid and the spines on her tail flashed menacingly. Astrid looked back over her shoulder to see what had her Nadder in such a sudden change of mood.

Snotlout stood at the edge of the cove, jar hanging wide open and a hunting-knife in his hand.

"It's okay, girl," Astrid reassured Stormfly and scratched near the sweet spot under her chin. "He's a friend. He just doesn't know dragons very well." Stormfly lowered her wings a bit and tripped from one foot to the other, agitated. Astrid sighed and turned to Snotlout. "Put that knife away, Snot. She thinks you're going to attack us."

"But—"

"Snot. I _told_ you. Dragons are protective and right now you're poising a threat. If you put the knife away, she'll stop growling at you."

Snotlout hesitantly dropped his hunting knife and raised his hands, showing that he was unarmed. The effect was immediate. Stormfly's wings dropped completely, the spines lay flat against her tail again, and she cawed instead of growled.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" a male voice said and Astrid whirled around. Eret stood with crossed arms next to Stormfly, a cocky grin on his face. Astrid beamed and rushed up to him, engulfing him in a tight hug.

"Oh my Thor," she said as Eret hugged her back. "Eret. You're really here."

"'Course I am," he laughed. "Heath's here, too. But she's busy scouting the area right now. _Again."_

Astrid squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears to stay back. No more crying. Even if it would be happy-tears. "Gods, it's so good to see you again."

"Good to see you, too, Ast." Eret held her tight a moment longer before he pushed her back at arms length and looked her over from head to toe, suddenly worried. "But are you all right? You were on Johann's ship for weeks. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Astrid patted his shoulder. "I'm fine. And no, Johann didn't hurt me. I—"

"Oh, thank the gods. We though he might've…" Eret trailed off and set his gaze on Snotlout, eyes narrowed and brows cinched. "You might wanna introduce your friend first, though. Before I say something I shouldn't."

Astrid waved Snotlout over. While Snotlout walked up to them, she said to Eret under her breath, "He doesn't know about Hiccup, so—"

"Horren," Eret mumbled back. "Got it."

Snotlout and Eret eyed each other. Astrid decided not to comment on the way Snotlout straightened his back and tried to appear taller than he was. It didn't help since Eret was over a head taller. Astrid bit back a chuckle.

"Snotlout," she said, meaning to introduce the two men. "That's E—" But Eret was already talking over her, doing his trademark introduction.

"Eret, son of Eret," he said and bowed with a cocky grin. "At your service."

Snotlout blinked and— Astrid could be mistaken, but she swore she saw a light blush appear on his cheeks. But it was too dark to be absolutely sure. "Snotlout Jorgenson. Heir of Berk."

"Ah," Eret said. "One of Astrid's friends, if I remember correctly. Though, she seemed to have forgotten to mention your stunning—

"Eret," Astrid interrupted. She'd seen Eret flirt often enough to know he was just starting to wrap poor Snot around his little finger. But as amusing that would be to witness, they didn't have time for it. "We don't have much time."

In an instant, Eret's flirtatious expression was replaced by seriousness. "Right, sorry."

"Did Heather tell you when she wanted to be back or?"

"No, she said she wanted to scout. Said she spotted something round the western cliffs on her way back from delivering the message. I wouldn't suspect her back for another hour or so."

Astrid nodded. She would have loved to see Heather again, but the worry for Hiccup made her anxious to return and make sure he was okay. Seeing Heather would have to wait, then. "Then tell me what was so important."

Eret cast a quick glance over to Snotlout. "You sure?"

"I wouldn't have brought him if I wasn't sure we could trust him," Astrid said and offered Snot a smile. He was still rather cold toward her, but maybe involving him in whatever Eret had to tell her would

"Alright," Eret said and waved his hand for them to follow him to a ledge. The rain was still going relatively strong and Astrid felt like she was soaked through to her very bones. Once under the ledge, Stormfly spread her wings to shelter them from the wind and Eret poked at a dying fire. He threw a few more logs onto it and slowly the fire sizzled up again. Astrid leaned back against her dragon, stroking her scales subconsciously.

"So," Eret began. "I guess the first thing you should know is that we managed to get Horren away from Drago and—"

"I know," she interrupted him. Eret shot her a confused look.

"How?"

Astrid cinched her eyebrows. "He's here. On Berk. I thought you knew. I thought that's why you're also here."

Eret shook his head. "No. He… he went after Johann. Who — by the way — is—"

"Drago Bludvist's brother?"

"What!" Snotlout exclaimed. He was so quiet, Astrid had momentarily forgotten his presence. "You mean, Trader Johann? Crazy-boring-stories-from-fantasyland Johann?"

Astrid nodded. "Yes, _that_ Johann."

"Why didn't you tell me!"

"Because I wasn't sure I'd understood correctly," Astrid said and turned back to Eret. "How _did_ you figure that out, anyway?"

"Heather went to spy on the Northern Market," Eret explained. "Krogan was there and she heard him talk about Johann. Horren left to go after him because he thought Johann might've hurt you. He told us to stick to the plan, which was to come here and get a message to you. You know, in case he couldn't find Johann or something went wrong."

"Something _did_ go wrong," Astrid said quietly. "Johann managed to injure him. He… was barely conscious when he and Toothless got to the village."

"And it's a miracle they let him live," Snotlout supplied. "I mean, flying on a dragon into a village that _kills_ dragons is pretty much a freepass for getting executed, no questions asked."

Eret blanched in the dim light of the fire. "Fuck. Please tell me he isn't…"

"No," Astrid said. "He's been treated by out Healer and is currently being watched by Ruffnut."

Eret scratched his head. "That crazy twin-girl you told me about? You really think… leaving him with her was such a good idea?"

"For the moment, she's the best option. She's apprenticing with Gothi to become a healer, so she knows what to do should— should his condition get worse." Astrid swallowed the lump in her throat and willed her voice to stay even.

 _Focus_ , she told herself. _Don't think about what might be. Think about what you can do right now._

Eret looked into the fire, silent for a moment or two before shaking his head and picking up again where he left. "Anyway, that's not the only thing Heath found out. Drago is sending his men all over the Archipelago in little groups to infiltrate the tribes. The troops are setting out from the Northern Market in a couple days. Though, the only place he hasn't assigned men to — at least not to our knowledge — is Berk."

"Could be because I'm here," Astrid said. "I mean, if Johann's his brother, then surely he must've told Drago all about me. And… he probably also was the one to set us up at the docks in the first place."

Eret sighed. "It's not just Johann who's been feeding Drago information. At least, that's what Horren believes."

"Who else?"

"Your darling mother-in-law."

Astrid's eyes bugged. She almost exclaimed the woman's name in shock, but caught herself. If she gave away Valka's name then the conclusion back to Hiccup wouldn't be a hard one to make for Snotlout. And she really didn't want him finding out like this and not through her. "You can't be serious!"

Eret tapped his knee. "I don't want to believe it either, but Horren seems dead serious about it. Apparently, Drago said as much to him while he was imprisoned. And, well, she didn't really make an effort to come visit her son even though it would've been well within her right to do so. Over four weeks and not once did she even get _near_ the dungeons. And… she must've told some pretty bad lies about Horren. The things he stood accused of…" He trailed off and shook his head. "Point is, she can't be trusted anymore. She made it extra hard for you the last couple of months in Greuelorm. And even if she _should_ come back and try playing concerned mother, I wouldn't buy it."

"Dayum," Snotlout whistled through his teeth. "You really didn't exaggerate when you said family life at the Bludvist manor was pure Hel. Idiotic father, crazy warlord-father-in-law, backstabbing mother-in-law. You even got the dragon-riding special edition for a husband. Really hit the jackpot there."

Astrid shot him a dark look. "Insult my in-laws all you want, Snot, but stay away from my husband."

He held his hands up, eyes wide, and grinned innocently at her. "Sorry."

Eret laughed. "Still just as feisty as ever, I see."

Astrid didn't end up seeing Heather that night. The rain picked back up and the winds howled stronger again, so Snotlout and her decided to head back to the village before another storm fully hit the little island. It had been harder than Astrid wanted to admit leaving Eret and Stormfly again after such a short time, but Hiccup was the more pressing matter she had to take care of and she couldn't do so if she was stuck in the cove for the night. But she did promise to come by again within the next couple of days.

"Take care, Ast. Of yourself and Hiccup," Eret had whispered in her ear when she hugged him goodbye.

"I promise."

"Remember to bring Snotlout along when you come back," Eret had yelled after them and Astrid had rolled her eyes. "I didn't even get to tell him how pretty his eyes are."

Snotlout next to her had blushed furiously and Astrid had laughed. And then Snotlout and her had gone back up through the crack in the rocks.

"So, what do you think?" Astrid asked as they approached the village, still hidden by the cover of the trees.

Snotlout shrugged. He had worn a frown on his face for most of the time, the crease between his eyebrows only slowly vanishing. "Dunno. I've… never seen a domesticated dragon before."

Astrid snorted. "Stormfly isn't domesticated. She's still gonna do whatever she pleases even if she lets people rider on her. The only really _domesticated_ dragon you're ever gonna see is Toothless and only because Horren has been living with him by his side for the past six years."

"Are you kidding? That Night Fury is way more like the wild dragons from the raids than the Nadder." Astrid noted — and not for the first time today — that Snotlout refused to call the two dragons by their names. As if he was refusing to acknowledge them as the wonderful creatures they were and instead wanted to keep them as dangerous as possible in his mind. "It _growled_ at us! And I'm pretty sure it was close to blasting us all to pieces."

Astrid shook her head and sighed. "He just tried to defend himself. Wouldn't you do the same if people were going at you and someone you loved with weapons?"

"I… I guess," Snotlout said in a small voice.

"But that wasn't what I was talking about," Astrid said. "I meant Eret." Instantly, Snotlout's eyes widened — just a fraction — and Astrid smiled. "What do you think of him."

Snotlout stubbornly tried to keep a cold facade, though Astrid saw right through him. He had never been good at keeping it up in front of her. Especially not in the most recent years. "Aside from him literally being an enemy of Berk just by association to Drago? I guess he's an alright guy."

"You're blushing, Snot."

"Am not!" He said and now his cheeks were definitely flaming up. Astrid bit her lips as not to laugh.

"Admit it," she teased. "You like his face."

"No."

"What about his hair? He has amazing hair."

"Stop."

"His body then? He's not my type, but his body still looks great. Definitely _your_ type."

"Astrid!"

She laughed again and nudged her friends in the side. "Don't worry. You know that your secret's safe with me."

Snotlout looked away and folded his arms across his chest. "Worst. Friend. Ever. I'm never gonna tell you anything ever again."

"Oh, come on."

"Seriously. Just because I like men doesn't mean I like _all_ of them. Or do you wanna bed every single man crossing your path, huh?"

Astrid wrinkled her nose. "Nah, I got one who's just mine already. That's enough for me."

"See?" The blush still hadn't left his face.

"Eret's single by the way."

"Oh my Thor!" Snotlout pushed her away, but not fast enough for her not to see the small grin tugging on his lips.

"Hey," she exclaimed in mock anger. "No pushing the pregnant woman."

"Your own fault for being such a lousy friend," he said but there was no vile in his voice. And for the first time since noon, he wasn't looking at her like she'd completely betrayed his trust. Astrid smiled.

"I'll be better. I promise." They both knew she wasn't talking about teasing him.

They reached the edge of the forest and Snotlout walked her up to her backdoor. Before she slipped inside, he nudged her. "You're wrong, you know."

"'Bout what?"

"Eret," he said and started walking away. "He isn't good looking." Astrid furrowed her brows, but then she saw the grin on his face when he said over his shoulder. "He's flamin' hot."

Astrid shook her head at her friend's antics and waved him good-night, mouthing a silent 'I knew it!' and slipped inside.

The house was dark, only a small fire cracking in the fireplace, barely illuminating the two people spread out on the floor of her main room. It seemed like Tuffnut and Fishlegs had made a sleepover out of guarding her house. Astrid tiptoed around them, leaving her coat on a hanger near the fire so it could dry. But as she set her foot on the first step upstairs, Tuffnut rolled around.

"G'night, Astrid," he whispered and yawned.

"Night, Tuff. And thank you," she said, but he was already starting to lightly snore. She crept up the stairs and slid past the make-shift curtain.

Ruffnut sat on a chair next to the bed, arm propped up on the nightstand and slumped over. She was snoring lightly in her slumber — just like her brother. Hiccup was still lying I the exact same position Astrid had left him and she noted that he also still had his mask covering his face.

So Ruffnut hadn't peeked after all.

Astrid sat down on the edge of the bed, hand instantly going to Hiccup's chest. His pulse was steady and strong under her palm.

Astrid reached for Ruff's shoulder, shaking the other girl awake gently. "Ruff."

"I didn't tip Magnus's yaks, mom. Yak tipping day is not for another couple days. Don't you know anything," the female Twin mumbled and curled in on herself sleepily, pushing Astrid's hand away.

"Ruff," Astrid said a bit more loudly.

Ruffnut jerked awake and almost tipped over backwards with her chair had Astrid not tugged her forward. "What?" Ruff looked around and blinked owlishly, rubbing her face, and yawned. "Astrid?"

"Yeah. Just got back. Did anything happen while I was gone?" She hoped that Ruffnut would be able to tell her that Hiccup had woken up — even for just a short while.

But Ruffnut shook her head. "No. His condition remains unchanged. Which is good, really. If he hasn't developed a fever yet, he's unlikely to come down with one at all."

"He… didn't wake up?" Astrid asked just to be sure. "Not once?"

"Nope. Sleeping like a baby. But you _did_ give him a small dose of a sleeping draught. It was in the herbs Gothi gave you. He's _supposed_ to sleep, girl. He needs all the rest he can get."

Astrid nodded. Ruff was right, she knew that. But she'd still rather have Hiccup awake than worry when he'd wake up and whether she'd be able to be there.

Ruffnut stood up from her chair and stretched her arms above her head, bones popping back into place. "Alright. I'mma go cuddle with my man-pillow downstairs now," Ruff said and headed for the stairs. "Night."

"Night," Astrid replied. She stayed seated for a few moments until she was sure that her friends downstairs had all settled down into a peaceful sleep again. After she peeled out of her soaked clothes and changed into a fresh shift of leggings and tunic, she pushed a crate in front of the staircase. It wouldn't keep unwanted intruders out, but at least she would hear anyone coming into her bedroom beforehand.

She spread out a couple extra furs on the floor next to Hiccup — the bed was way too narrow for the both of them, especially while he was injured. Before she lay down to let her exhaustion carry her off to sleep, she gently removed her husband's mask again. He'd only end up with pressure sores and bruises if he kept it on any longer. Once he was awake and well again, she'd have to have a serious talk with him about the stupid thing.

She took one of his hands in her own. "There's so much I need to tell you, Hiccup," she whispered and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "I wish I could tell you all of them right now. But first, you need to get better." She pushed a stray lock of auburn hair out of his face. "I love you, Hiccup Haddock. But you better believe that if you leave me alone with all this mess for much longer, I'll kick your ass to Valhalla myself."

Once last time, Astrid checked on his bandages and tugged the furs close around him and then settled down for the night herself. But despite her exhaustion, her thoughts kept swirling through her head, keeping her awake.

Just this morning, Astrid had still thought she'd have to do the hardest thing ever and bend to the will of the council, condemning both herself and Snotlout to a future neither of them wanted. But one blow after the other, her life had once again made a turn in a different direction, toppling over everything. And again it was because of the young man next to her.

Hiccup kept her life in a constant state of change and again and again proved that — somehow — nothing was predictable and most not what it seems. And even during the time they had been separated, he never strayed completely out of her life.

Astrid flattened her hand against the planes of her stomach that were starting to swell ever so slightly with the child growing within her.

A life full of surprises and adventures. That's what a life with Hiccup was like. And Astrid wouldn't change a thing about it. Well, except for everything regarding Drago. But even then, if it weren't for Drago making that deal with her father, Astrid wouldn't have gotten to know and love the man Hiccup had become. She thanked the gods for bringing them together then and again for bringing him to her now.

She just hoped that the gods would have a little more mercy left to spare and prevent another raid for tonight.

 **A/N:**

It's NaNoWriMo again (though, Camp NaNo, but my goal is still a little crazy) which is why I'm done with this chapter a little earlier than I would've been otherwise. Especially considering that some of the parts were major pains in the ass to write. But I wanna win NaNo again and for that I need to push myself to write even if I don't particularly wanna. But… now I gotta go buy new chocolate because I'm already through my _entire_ stack of easter sweets. I might've developed an addiction during the past week and a half xD

Anyway, you guys are — as always — awesome with all the amazing reviews! Seriously. I love you all so much. Thank you guys so much for sticking around this far, especially considering that looking back at the first few chapters, my writing was really not… on the level it's now. But that's to be expected when writing one story for over two years.

But again, there is one review I gotta pick out and address directly, just because I think I need to spread some awareness. Dear guest who reviewed: "UPDATE PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU!" Darling, that is not how you get a writer to update a fanfic. I'm sure you only meant well and wanted to be encouraging, but the way you phrased your desire for the next update makes the whole process of actually updating kinda even more anxiety-inducing than it already is. It puts pressure on the writer you're addressing and may even make them hesitant to write because it has this underlying tone that the writer is a failure for not updating fast enough. For some that's really discouraging. I'm not taking any offence from a review like this because I know none was meant, but I do ask you or anyone **not to** leave reviews or comments like that one people's fics. Please. You can coax another update out of a writer way more easily by telling them what you liked about the last chapter or what that made you feel. And honestly? Even a generic button smashing on your keyboard that leads to the ever famous akjfkjlaopogjashowaoi is more effective because it indicates so much more about your emotions than a demand for an update. Believe me. It works. And whoever doesn't believe me, just search tumblr for a couple of the threads all writers reblog like crazy on proper reviews and comments on fics and how update-demands are doing the exact opposite of the desired effect. I know all of you guys are amazing, but I just needed to address this real quick to make non-writers aware of this issue ^~^

Until the next one!


	25. Chin up, Head held high

Astrid's house really wasn't built for that many people occupying it. Aside from the Twins and Fishlegs — who had stayed overnight and were currently plundering her supplies for breakfast — morning had brought four other people to her doorstep. Had it just been Snotlout, she could've dealt with it. One person more wouldn't make _that_ big a difference. But alas, he towed with him the Chief, Gobber, and Spitelout; all of which were large men and taking up more space each than she had to offer. The main room was packed and Tuff and Ruff had already escaped onto the staircase with their bowls of porridge. They had originally wanted to go up to the bedroom and eat there in peace and quiet, but Astrid had put an end to that idea quicker than they had been able to voice it.

Fishlegs, though, quickly took the cue and finished his bowl in a matter of seconds, excusing himself and leaving to go help his father in the woods. Though, Astrid wished he had made the Twins tag along.

"Ye know why we're here, don't ye lass," the Chief said after the obligatory 'good-morning's had been said; Astrid doubted it would be good one. Not with the Chief already here first thing.

"I do, sir," she said. Snotlout had briefed her the day before on the visit. And honestly, even without the warning she would've guessed it. The Chief wanted answers, and he wouldn't be patiently waiting for her to come to him with them. He was a man of action. That he would bring his closest men with him was only logical.

The men settled on the chairs strewn around the room, the wood creaking and groaning dangerously as the chief sat down. He was a mountain of a man and the chairs were build for people a third of his size. No one dared comment on it, though. Thankfully. The atmosphere was tense enough as it was.

Astrid dropped down on the last chair, feeling like a lamb to the slaughter. But neither was she an innocent lamb, nor was this an execution. She took a deep breath and tried to settle her jumpy nerves. One wrong word and she might _really_ end up on the execution bank, along with Hiccup and Toothless.

 _Calm it_ , she mentally snapped at herself.

"So, Astrid," Spitelout said, a lazy grin plastered on his face and arms confidently crossed over his chest. He was lounging on her chair like he owned it. Owned _her._ "Let's get straight tae it. Ye are a dragon-sympathiser. Ye and yer husband both."

Astrid didn't deny it. She didn't confirm it either. As long as she wasn't asked direct questions or given orders, she would rather say say nothing at all. She knew this was a questioning of which every word of hers would be weighed up three times over and brought in front of the council for judging. The less she said the less she could verbally condemn herself.

"Lass," the Chief said. "Ye've always been one o' our most admirable shield-maidens. One o' our best warriors. Vicious toward the dragons. Tell us what changed." He folded his meaty hands on his lap and leaned forward. Nothing of the raging man he'd been yesterday on the village square remained on his face. His expression was open, schooled to appear as trustworthy and empathetic as can be to get her to talk.

Astrid forcibly relaxed her hands, against her instinct to ball them into tight fists at her sides. "There are multiple things that have changed, Sir. For one, my father gambled me away to a madman."

"Aye, but that wasn't what made ye sympathetic towards the dragons, was it?"

"No. But my husband was," she said. "He showed me that they aren't the mindless killing-beasts we think them to be."

"Heresy," Spitelout spat. "They are devils, not pets."

Astrid bit back the sharp comment ready to leave her tongue. It would do her no good to disrespect her Chief's second-in-command and brother.

Gobber stroked the long braids of his moustache, but stayed silent. He kept throwing glances up the stairs, a far-away look clouding his usually sharp-witted eyes. Astrid could only start to imagine what the blacksmith must be thinking.

"Astrid, lass, ye've seen the dragon raids yerself. Ye know the dragons have no inklin' o' mercy fer us. How can ye say they are anythin' but evil?" Stoick furrowed his bushy brows, his schooled face slipping into a scowl for just a moment.

"I- Chief, the dragons here act so vastly different to the once I've gotten to know on the mainland. I don't know why they raid us, or why they are behaving so aggressively."

"So, then how can ye be certain? That man ye call yer husband could've deceived ye. He rides on a dragon, he apparently knows how ta control one. He could be just as bad as—"

"Sir," Astrid interrupted him. "With all due respect, but you don't know my husband and are in no position to make assumptions about him." Except that Stoick did know her husband; or at least had known the boy he had been before leaving. But she couldn't very well just throw that out there. It wasn't her place to do so.

Stoick's bushy brows dipped further. "I've dealt with a man who was able ta control dragons before an' barely came away alive. Now we have another stranger with the same abilities in out midst an' I am not willing ta endanger my people just based on blind trust."

"And I've had to live in one house with Drago Bludvist for the past months. Believe me when I say that Horren is _nothing_ like that man. And he doesn't _control_ the dragons, he is able to get through to them and get them to _trust_ him. It's not control, it's about hard training, trust and loyalty." Astrid relaxed her jaw, her teeth were starting to hurt from gritting them so hard. "And you haven't seen what Drago did to him, how he was treating him. But I have. And I give you my word that Horren is not working for Drago." It was hard to keep using the name that Hiccup had worn in Greuelorm, the name Drago had made him wear. She needed to check her tongue everytime she mentioned him by name.

"Yer word isn't worth tha' much, lass," Spitelout said. "Ye've betrayed us."

"How so? Because I know dragons are capable of peace?" Astrid shook her head. "Vikings are capable of peace, too. And yet every few years we seem to be at war with either the Outcasts or the Berserkers for reasons that are lost to me. But either way, I never stopped fighting to defend Berk."

Spitelout looked like he was about to reach out and slap her.

"Dad," Snotlout said. "You may wanna go catch some fresh air."

Spitelout went scarlet. "Watch yer tongue, boyo," he gritted.

"I think ye're missin' the point, lass," Stoick said, completely ignoring the way father and son glared at each other and continued to dispute in hushed voices. Obviously, Snot wanted his father out of the questioning round; Astrid hoped for the same.

"Ye have continued ta defend our home, that much is true," the Chief continued. "But the way ye go about it has been most suspicious an' now we finally know why some things about ye seemed… off."

"If you are asking where my first loyalties lie, Chief, it's with the village," Astrid said. "But I go about doing what I have to differently now because I know more than before. I can't kill dragons without feeling ill at heart because I know their vicious raiding isn't their true nature."

"Astrid, ye keep sayin' that the dragons are nae evil," Stoick said. She doubted he had really listened to anything she'd said so far. "But tha' dragon, tha' _Night Fury_ , was growlin' like the vicious beast they all are. It didnae seem the last bit peaceful."

Astrid badly wanted to whack the men in front of her over the head with her axe. "You were _threatening_ Toothless and Horren with weapons. You were ready to _chop them to pieces_. Toothless isn't stupid. He knows when he and his rider are in danger and he would do anything to protect Horren. Anything. Not unlike a dog protects a kind owner."

"Ye cannae compare a dragon with a dog," Spitelout threw in.

Stoick shot a glare at his second-in-command and the man shrank back into his chair with a sour expression. "Is the Night Fury the only 'domesticated' dragon ye know?"

Astrid didn't like that word. Domesticated. Dragon's — and especially Toothless or some especially curious Terrible Terrors or Stormfly — might sometimes behave like innocent pets — like cats chasing light-spots or dogs begging for scratches with their tongue lolling out the side — , but they were still intelligent creatures of their own mind. You could train a dragon, teach it commands. But whether it would actually follow those commands was still of the dragon's own volition. Or at least it was with the way Hiccup dealt with dragons and had taught her to as well. From what she'd heard, Drago used vastly different techniques; none of them which treated dragons as pets either, but more like slaves that were kept for fighting. Only that these slaves were more deadly than any army could ever dream to be.

But trying to make the Chief understand that would be lost breath when he and the other men couldn't even wrap their minds around the fact that dragon's weren't devils working against the Vikings on Loki's command.

"No," Astrid thus said, closing her eyes and sending a quick prayer up to the Gods. Any which one that would listen would be enough, really. "A Deadly Nadder. She is to me what Toothless is to Horren."

"So ye fly on the beasts as well?" The disgust in her Chief's voice and detest in his eyes was like a punch to the gut. For all her life, Astrid had striven to stay in Stoick the Vast's favour, to come out of their peer-group as the best Viking and earn herself her place in her tribe and on the council. Many things had changed since she was the girl with those ambitions. But her Chief's disappointment was still not easy to take.

She nodded. "I do, Sir." She lifted her chin and dared anyone but especially Spitelout to condemn her for it.

"Ye do understand tha' what ye say might cost ye yer life, Astrid?" Gobber said. It was the first time he'd spoken all morning. "Accordin ta our laws, ye just confessed ta treachery an' heresy."

"I'm well aware of that."

"Should we have ye thrown inta jail right now, or will ye go there freely?" Spitelout sneered and Snotlout executed the punch to his father's biceps that Stoick and Gobber were throwing at the man with their eyes.

"If I recall correctly, brother, _I'm_ still the Chief an' decide when someone is put in custody," Stoick said. Whatever was going on between the two brothers, it certainly wasn't just about her, Astrid realised. The rivalry between them had sprouted up worse than ever and she was just the outlet for it.

"Then _act as one_ an' protect our people from dragon-loving heretics, Stoick. That, or let me discipline her back onto the right path."

"Father!" Snotlout exclaimed and Astrid's face burned.

Spitelout spoke of her as though she wasn't present and wasn't hearing every single word that tumbled out of his stupid mouth. How Snotlout had gone through his life with that man dictating each and every single step he took without going completely mad or livid, she didn't know. But she made a mental note to compliment him on his ability not to throttle his father ever other minute.

Stoick turned back to her, fists gripping onto the fabric of his pants. "And where would that Nadder be at the moment?"

Astrid shrugged. "I— I haven't see her ever since I left Greuelorm." A blatant lie. She just hoped Snotlout had kept his promise and kept his mouth shut about last night. They didn't need to know about _either_ of the temporary inhabitants of the Cove at the moment. They would only arrest Eret and Heather and put Stormfly back into a pen in the Kill Ring. Astrid didn't ever want to see her beautiful Nadder lady back there again.

"It didn't follow ye back here?" Stoick questioned. "I find that rather hard ta believe considerin' ye tried so hard ta convince us of a dragon's loyalty."

"She's still a dragon, Sir," she replied. "She's gonna fly wherever she wants and where the wind takes her. If she decides to come back to me, she will. I don't keep her towed in place."

Stoick stroked his beard. "And ye know how ta tame those beasts?"

Astrid huffed. "They don't need to be tamed. They just need to not be attacked."

"Ye're avoiding the question. Again."

"No. I do not. Stormfly was already used to humans when I met her."

"But yer husband does? He knows how ta control them? They will listen ta him?"

Astrid blinked. She might as well have been talking to a wall. Frustrated with their inability to listen to her and understand what she'd told them, she took a route for pettiness. "I don't know."

"But he got tha' Night Fury under control. He must be able ta apply tha' on other dragons as well. Ye said as much just minutes ago."

"I don't know," she said again. If they were going to treat her like a stupid girl, then Astrid would behave as such. It wasn't her most graceful solution to the current situation, but her patience was waning by the minute and all she wanted to do was check on Hiccup again before going to check on Toothless. But those buffoons sitting in front of her were apparently adamant on wasting her time. And Snotlout wasn't really any help, either.

"Would he at least try it?" Stoick pressed.

Snotlout eyed her suspiciously before cracking a grin that he quickly hid behind a fist. He knew exactly what she was doing, but didn't stop the Chief from getting the same answer over and over again.

"I don't know," she said for a third time, looking the man directly in the eyes.

"Astrid Hofferson," The Chief ground out, "don't play dumb with me. Ye know very well what he is capable of."

"Now do I?" she asked plainly, looking down on her nails. "Because if you really believed I did then you would have listened to me instead of writing everything I said earlier off as unreliable. And by the way, Hofferson isn't my lastname anymore. Hasn't been for a while now, in case you forgot."

Spitelout stood up, chair scratching over the floor. "If ye think ye are too good ta answer our questions I think we're done here. We shouldn't waste our time with ye when the answer ta all our questions is right upstairs."

He made to go up the stairs, but Astrid jumped up and blocked his way. The twins, who had effectively managed to blend away on the stairs, were on their feet within a heartbeat as well.

"Get out of my way, girl. This isnae talk fer women and ye are wasting our time. I want ta speak ta yer husband on these matters."

"Dad," Snot said, coming up behind his father and trying to pull him back. Spitelout shrugged him off effortlessly. "Stop, please."

Astrid balled her fists, pettiness all gone and replaced by anger. "You can't talk to him."

Stoick stood up now as well. "Astrid, we _will_ have ta speak ta him. He's still an intruder and—"

She rolled her eyes. "You can't talk to him because he still hasn't woken up yet. But if you want to question an unconscious man, please, be my guests."

Ruffnut climbed down the stairs a few steps. "I'd highly advise against it, though. As Gothi's apprentice, I have to ask you to give him a few more days. Not only to wake up, but also to recover."

The men — namely Stoick and Spitelout — glared at the two young women and Spitelout already opened his mouth to protest again or possibly to demand they simply _wake_ him up instead. But the Chief held up his hand and nodded.

"Alright. But I want ta be informed the moment he wakes up, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Astrid said.

"Alright. I think we're done here fer today. But expect ta be called in fer questionin' before the whole council, Astrid." He turned to go, but Astrid stopped him halfway out the door. Spitelout was already through the door, gone before he could hear her news.

"Chief, there's more I need to tell you."

Stoick the Vast turned back and merely raised an eyebrow. He had officially ended this round of questioning. He obviously hadn't expected for her to say more freely. But there was one thing that was urgent enough that she couldn't wait until tomorrow to tell him.

"It's about Trader Johann, sir."

"What about him?" His words were clipped short, impatient.

"He was the one to injure my husband," she said and immediately saw Stoick writing her off _again_. She hurried to condense it as much as possible without sounding desperate for attention. "Horren went after him because he found out that Johann is Drago Bludvist's brother, sir."

Stoick said nothing immediately, just cocked his head in a manner that suggested he was processing the new information he was just given. Gobber swore out loud, the first real reaction to anything he'd shown all morning.

"Soil my breeches."

"And ye know this how?" Stoick eventually said.

"H— Horren was conscious for a short moment in the village square yesterday and was able to tell me. Please. I'm not making this up and neither is my husband."

Stoick stroked his beard. "He lost a good amount o' blood. Are ye certain he wasnae hallucinatin'."

"Positive."

"And ye never noticed?" Stoick prodded further. "Ye lived under one roof with Bludvist fer over half a year. Did ye never notice Johann comin' and goin' ta see his brother?"

Astrid shook her head, silently grateful that at least the Chief seemed to believe her on this matter instantly. "No, sir. Drago never spoke of any relatives other than saying most of his family was dead. He… kept most of his personal affairs away from the manor. For everything we know about him, there's another handful of things we don't."

The Chief nodded. "Thank ye fer tellin' me, lass." He turned for the door again. "Oh, and Astrid?"

"Yes?"

"Don' cheek me again." Then he was out into the busy streets of an early morning, villagers already demanding the help of their chief. Snotlout followed closely behind. He had known about Johann since last night and still knew more about the matter than Astrid had been able to tell the Chief; she couldn't do so without giving away that Eret and Heather were on the island.

"See you at lunch," Snotlout called and Astrid and the Twins waved him off.

The only one remaining of the Chief's personal advisers was Gobber. The blacksmith stayed seated on his chair, wistfulness in his eyes as they stayed locked on the entrance to Astrid's bedroom.

Astrid threw a look at Ruffnut and jerked her chin towards the door. The female Twin needn't be asked twice. She snatched her brother's arm and dragged him towards the door despite his protests that he hadn't finished his porridge yet.

"Oh, stop yapping," Ruff scolded him. "I'm sure mom will have made some as well. Now move it." She pushed her brother forcefully out the door and saluted Astrid before shutting it behind her. Astrid sighed.

"Why did ye nae come ta me, lass?" Gobber eventually asked after a long-stretched moment of silence. "Ye know I never would'a told anyone. Not if ye'd asked me not ta."

Astrid sat down on the steps of the stairs, propping her head up on her arms. "I'm sorry, Gobber."

"Aye, and ye've had yer reasons I'd wager."

"I did. Still do." Astrid got a knife from her belt, turning the embellished handle over between her fingers. Another one of Hiccup's most recent creations. He had made it for her when she'd been mad at him for lying to her about bringing Toothless away to safety. A small gift to that had suddenly appeared on her weapon's rack without a word. He tended to do that. Leave her new weapons or other tokens he crafted whenever he managed to get to the old smith Kerrith's forge. Usually it tied into them not being on the same page for a while; a quick reminder for her that he cared and that she mattered to him.

Astrid offered the knife to Gobber, handle first. "I never brought all the blades he's made for me. Only ever my axe."

Gobber nodded. "Eh, I would'a grown suspicious if every new weapon o' yers was made by me apprentice. Me presumed _dead_ apprentice." He eyed the knife and held it against the light. His rough hand and hook handled it with such care, as though he held a baby and not a knife.

"The lad really knows his way 'round a smithy," the master blacksmith said with a small smile. "Heh, but ye can see tha' he hasnae been taught by the best fer a while. Beautiful decorations, but he's been better at centerin' the blade on tha hilt."

"Gobber?"

"Aye, lass?"

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

Gobber's smile slowly slid off his face and the wistfulness was back. "No, I won't, ye have me word fer tha'. But just tell me this: That Night Fury, is it…?"

Astrid cracked a grin. "The one he shot down when he was fifteen during the raid where he was chased down the village by a Monstrous Nightmare and managed to set fire to the docks?"

"Hah. Th'lad set fire ta the docks on more than one occasion. But yes. He claimed ta have shot down tha beast. Didnae believe him, thought he was jus' makin' up stories again ta maeke his sour yak o' a father proud."

"That was Toothless," Astrid confirmed. "Shooting down a Night Fury was also the reason why he suddenly got so good in dragon training."

Gobber nodded, stroking his moustache. "Always been wond'rin' how he did tha'. But I guess… befriendin' a dragon will teach ya a thing or two 'bout those beasties." Gobber held the knife back out to her. "And… the Nadder? What did ye call her again?"

"Stormfly."

"Aye. How did tha' one come 'bout?"

Astrid debated for a moment whether to tell Gobber that Stormfly was one of the dragons from their dragon training or not. But he already knew enough that this wouldn't add badly to it. "She… actually has been following Hiccup around ever since he left Berk. Remember the blue and yellow Deadly Nadder from the Kill Ring?"

"Tha' beast tha' almost killed the both of ye because he was too preoccupied with questionin' me 'bout Nigh Fury pamphlets and the like? If I remember correctly, ye hit it with a shield an' ran at it wi' yer axe more than once."

"That's my Stormfly." Astrid smiled. "He was the one to set the dragons free just after his disappearance."

Gobber gawked at her. "And here I thought those blasted Thorston Twins had pulled some bad prank on us an' released them all. They'd never admitted ta it. No wonder if it wasnae them in the first place."

"I was actually more surprised that they never even tried taking the credit for it. I mean, usually they own up to everything and all that seems Loki-blessed — be it their doing or not."

Gobber cackled. "Aye, tha' they like ta do." He looked up to the second floor of the small house. "Will ye tell me when the lad wakes up? I want a word wi' him before the council gets wind o' it."

Astrid worried her lip, but then nodded when she saw the dulling light behind the old blacksmith's eyes. It had dulled when Hiccup had gone missing. It was nigh time the fire behind them returned. "I will, Gobber. Just… go easy on him, yeah? He's been through a lot."

"Aye, lass. An' thank ye."

The sun was already dipping back down the horizon when Astrid finally found some time to leave the house and head for the Kill Ring. Ruffnut was staying back at her house, just in case. Astrid did not feel the least bit comfortable with leaving her husband alone and unconscious when most men on Berk would probably like to see him hang at the moment. The thought sent icy shivers down her spine. Though no one said anything directly to her face, Astrid had heard hushed whispers of the possible construction of gallows as she made her way through the village. Some even expanded the threat out to her. The people she had fought all her life to protect were turning on her one by one. It was disconcerting to say the least.

On her way, Astrid made a quick halt at the docks and collected a basket full of fish. Fishlegs had informed her that the guards seemed to forgo feeding the dragon now occupying the Ring. She hadn't believed they would do so in the first place. Usually, all the dragons the Kill Ring housed were malnourished and kept as weak as possible so they wouldn't attempt break out of their confinement, only fed for the trainees to have some action. So Astrid lugged the basked all the way to the arena. Getting inside was another hassle.

The guards seemed adamant on not letting anyone near the Night Fury but the Chief. It was only when she threatened to show them _exactly_ how she felt about those orders with her axe that they let her pass, glaring daggers at her all the while.

"Make it short and don't try any funny business," one of them said and slammed the gate shut behind her.

The pen Toothless was in was easily recognisable. The wood of the metal-reinforced doors was charred and partially blown to piece, the metal was bent and the double-door was only handing on one of the four hinges. Toothless could've easily escaped his prison, but he hadn't. He had made a ruckus, but he hadn't even left the dark space of the pen.

Astrid neared the wrecked door, clacking her tongue. Toothless responded with a sad coo. When she peered into the pen, he was curled up in the far corner, snout tugged under his wing. A chain was locked around one of his feet, supposed to be connected to a bolt in the wall, but ripped out with sheer force that reminded Astrid that Toothless was still a dragon and could be very dangerous if he so pleased. But as it seemed, he was more broken than about to snap. The muzzle they had put on him the day before lay ripped at her feet, sliced through by sharp talons and gnawed on. Astrid could count on one hand the times she had seen Toothless use his talons and teeth for anything other than catching himself some fish.

"Oh Toothless," she said and brought the basked of fish over to him. He didn't even look at it. Instead, his drooping eyes went straight to her and then to the entrance. She knew he was looking to see if Hiccup would be coming as well. When it became clear to the dragon that his only visitor was Astrid, he gave another heart-wrenching coo and curled even tighter in on himself. Astrid dropped to her knees in front of him, reaching out to scratch him, but unsure if he'd want that. She had never seen the usually happy and playful dragon this devastated. In the end, she just placed her hand on his thick neck and stroked slow circles into the scales, hoping he perceived it as comforting.

"He'll get better, Toothless."

His eyes closed. And when they opened again, her breath caught on the utter betrayal behind them. She swallowed against the lump in her throat but couldn't get rid of it.

How was she supposed to make a dragon understand what was happening? Toothless was a smart dragon, his intelligence resembling that of his rider greatly, but language was still just a random combination of nonsensical sounds of which he understood only a few words. Astrid knew he understood names such as his own and Hiccup's and could differentiate between a couple more as well. He understood the rare direct commands Hiccup gave him due to years of training. But most of the communication between dragon and rider was based on body-language and intonation, the emotions conveyed through them. To make him understand that Hiccup was recovering and would be getting better soon was a near hopeless affair.

"I know this isn't easy," she proceeded to tell the dragon, hoping at least the sound of her voice would be soothing to him. "But I promise you that Hiccup is getting better. He is injured, but he _will_ survive. He's just sleeping for a bit to regain his strength. He is getting better. But for now, we need to make sure _you_ are okay." She ran her hand over his head, lightly scratched his nose and then pushed the wing away from his snout. He let her. With her other hand, she grabbed a fish from the basked and offered it to the dragon.

"You need to eat those fish, Toothless. I can't have you starving yourself because you feel sad. You need to stay strong and healthy. Hiccup wouldn't want you skipping meals so you can mope."

Toothless sniffed the fish once, then put his head back down on his paws, gaze fixed on the supple leather of his prosthetic fin. It was the half-automated one Hiccup had made him for Snoggletog.

Astrid could empathise with Toothless' emotions better than the dragon probably knew, having gone through the entire last day with a wobbling lip just at the thought of Hiccup maybe not waking up again. And for the past two months she'd had to wonder if she ever would get to see her husband again. Toothless had just gotten Hiccup back from what Eret had told her. And to be separated yet again from him when the smart dragon knew exactly his rider wasn't well, it was tearing Toothless apart from the inside.

But moping wasn't helping in any way. Toothless needed to pull himself together just as much as Astrid did.

She jutted her chin out. "Toothless," she said a bit more sharply, earning a warning look from the dragon. But she knew he'd never hurt her. She pushed the fish in front of him again.

"Eat. _Now_."

Toothless grumbled and tried to roll away from her, but she grabbed his face on either side and forced the stubborn dragon to face her. "Stop it, Toothless. You need to eat and I will not leave you alone until _those fish_ ," she pointed to the basked, "are _all_ gone. And if I have to force them down your throat one by one."

Toothless stared at her, lowly growling at the back of his throat. If he were any other dragon, she'd be backing away and reaching for her axe right now. But she saw in his eyes that it was an empty threat. So she merely raised an eyebrow at him and silently dared him further. It took another couple of minutes until Toothless finally gave up and swallowed that first fish down. After that, his appetite seemed to awaken again and he finished off the entire basket in record time. He stuck his head into it, sniffing for more.

"I'll bring you some more tomorrow," she promised and scratched behind his ear-flaps.

Toothless shrugged the basked off and lay his head down on her lap, warbling up at her. He leaned into her scratches, guiding her finger to the spots he liked the most.

The guards had told her to make it quick and she'd already spent a good amount of time just arguing with Toothless. But she supposed she could spare a bit more time to cheer the loyal dragon back up. And she noted how her own spirit was raising, too. Despite all the bad things happening, she could find reasons to smile throughout her day and those were what kept her going and kept her on her feet when she felt like she was falling apart from the sum of obstacles the gods were throwing in her way. But she'd keep on fighting; not just for herself, but for all those she loved.

Toothless nuzzled her stomach and fixed his big eyes on her navel. He nudged his nose to the slight swell of her stomach and cooed, almost like a question. Astrid giggled when Toothless accidentally nuzzled a tickling-spot and pushed his head back to rest on her thighs.

"What is it, Toothless, huh?"

The dragon nudged her again, gently as if she was about to break if he was just a bit too rough. The behaviour baffled Astrid and she watched Toothless sniff her mid-section. He had _never_ done this before. And she'd seen him do a lot of things she wouldn't consider very dragon-y.

"What in Thor's name is it with you and my stomach? Do you think I short-sold you on those fish and ate some myself, or what?" Toothless momentarily looked up at her with those big, dilated eyes, warbling happily. His tail was thumping on the ground back and forth ever so slightly, but the rest of his long body remained remarkably still.

"Weird dragon," she concluded with a laugh and gave him another scratch before pushing him off her lap entirely. Her legs were starting to feel like she was being poked by an armada of teeny-tiny needles.

"I'll see you again tomorrow, Toothless," she said, dusting her legs off. "I promise."

Toothless nudged her again gently and then curled back into his corner. Though he seemed a little more at ease than when she first entered the pen. Leaving him and hearing the Ring's gate fall shut behind tugged at her heartstrings. It wasn't right that he was locked up, but there was nothing she could do to change that at the moment without committing treason. She had promised the Chief that Toothless would behave and that he wouldn't be a problem for the village. And the only way she could convince him to actually _believe_ Toothless would do so, the dragon needed to remain in the Kill Ring. Maybe with a couple more days of seeing that Toothless didn't mean any harm and was just scared, Stoick the Vast would agree to letting him roam at least somewhat freely. Astrid had to cling to that hope in order to move away for now, one foot in front of the other, or she might run back and take out those guards to set Toothless free.

 _Just a while longer_ , she told herself. _Toothless is fine and he only needs to stay there for just a little while longer._

Only until Hiccup woke up and she could discuss with him how to proceed from here on out.

=0=

Stoick the Vast stared into the crackling flames lapping the logs in the fireplace. Sleep had not yet reached out its shadowy fingers to him, luring him into a wold that either be a dream-scape of hopes and happiness — where his wife was at his side and his son commenting on everything with his sarcastic remarks — or a nightmarish place — where horrors far worse than reality plagued him. Every night, it was a gamble which one it would be. Every night, the Chief prayed to the gods for a dreamless sleep. Because even the happy dreams, the soothing ones, the ones of an alternate reality, even they left him aching.

He would never again hear his Valka's beautiful laugh when Stoick was being uncharacteristically clumsy and he would never again see his son's eyes light up when the idea for another invention struck him. And that knowledge made those dreams even more of a bittersweet experience. Because at the end, he'd wake up and his family was still dead.

But his apprehension for dreams of any kind wasn't what kept him awake tonight.

There was a man who sympathised with the devils in his village, bearing the message of Trader Johann's betrayal.

Stoick didn't want to believe it.

Johann had been a friend to Berk for almost two decades; entertaining the youngest of the tribe with his bizarre tales of adventures and supplying the people with everything their hearts desired and more. Johann had brought Astrid back to them and always kept his eyes open on his travels for any Berkian that had taken up travelling and brining their letters back to Berk. It was hard to imagine him the brother and close confidante of their enemy.

But that was what Astrid had told him that morning when they had questioned her.

Trader Johann was Drago Bludvist's brother and the reason so many things had gone wrong for the young woman and her husband, though the Night Fury's rider had only found out when confronting Johann about Astrid's whereabouts.

Stoick felt no sympathy for the injuries Horren Bludvist — or whatever the young man's real name may be — suffered at Johann's hand. The young man had come barging into the village on his dragon and refused to show his face even when granted the help he needed. The only reason he was still alive and not short of a head was Astrid.

The lass had suffered enough already without having to witness her husband's execution.

And Stoick also couldn't deny that the possibility of finally finding a solution to the dragon scourges they faced at least three times a weak was appealing enough to keep the council and their hateful ideas at bay. For now.

Stoick grabbed a whetting stone and ran it along the edge of his axe's blade. The repetitive motion was calming and allowed his mind to focus on the problems he was facing.

One, the dragon raids. Having increased to a frequency never before seen. They came vigorously, struck hard, and left quickly. When before the village would be plagued by the beasts for hours at a time, now they lasted maybe half an hour top. That didn't mean less damage to the village, though. They had less time to prepare between raids and less time during a raid to strike back in any semblance of order. It was Helheim come alive.

Two, Drago Bludvist's impending invasion on the Archipelago. He had sent word forward to the allied tribes, but none had come back yet. Astrid's warning about the happenings and brewings on the mainland had come early enough to at least warn the tribes. He could only hope that the messages had reached their destinations and that the archipelago was getting prepared for an invasion. Judging from Astrid's reports, the army they would be facing was huge. Larger than they could imagine. And those were just the men under Bludvist's command. But Stoick and all the other Chief's of the Barbaric Archipelago knew too well that the madmen wouldn't be striking with just men alone. He commanded dragons and it would be foolish to assume they wouldn't be made use of.

And thirdly, the dragon sympathising man who could possibly help them not only one of the other two problems, but both of them. Horren must have more insight into Drago's workings and power-structures as the man's stepson. And as the rider and friend of a dragon, he would be able to figure out a solution to the dragon raids. Figure out their origins and where the damnable nest was located. And should he refuse to help where he could, Stoick saw himself forced to take on more drastic measures than simply asking. If he needed to, he would have Astrid held in custody to ensure Horren's cooperation.

And that was another thing Stoick was worried about. Astrid was still withholding information. She was still hiding things from him even though she had already told him so much that morning. And he had the feeling that he wouldn't be particularly happy about whatever she was hiding once it came to the surface. And it _would_ come to the surface. Things never stayed a secret for very long on Berk. Not when Stoick knew they existed, anyway. He just really hoped Astrid would come and tell him before things got out of hand and he was faced with a raging council at his back when still stunned himself. Maybe it would only be that the Nadder Astrid had mentioned was hiding out somewhere in the forest. That, he could handle with ease. Much more would be fairly difficult without the councilmen executing someone by outvoting him. His veto only went so far.

When the blade of his axe was glistening in the firelight again, newly sharp and polished, Stoick decided to pay the lass another visit in the morning — given that the night proceeded uneventful. Maybe if he talked to her alone she would open up a bit more. Brining Spitelout along today had proved to be a grave mistake. His brother only cared to get the lass as his daughter-in-law, whether Snotlout and Astrid actually wanted that or not. It biased his usually very reliable second-in-command greatly and the rubbish that came out of his mouth as a result… Stoick shook his head. No wonder his nephew was prone to talk first and think later; or had been. The lad had matured a lot lately.

Stoick stood and headed for the door of his bedroom, intending to call it a night and try to find some sleep. But just as he shrugged his first boot of, the raid horn sounded and the noise of wings flapping reached him. He slid back into his boot with a groan. So it wouldn't be peaceful night after all.

He threw a bucket of water over the already dying flames of the fire warming the house, dousing them before any little accident had it aflame without the dragons helping it.

Out on the streets, he was met with bleary-eyed villagers, grumbling warrior the lot of his people. The oldest kids rushed to gather the youngest and herd them up to the Mead Hall. They hadn't needed to be told to do so in a while now. The proceedings of a dragon raid was routine even for the smallest and that broke his heart. All of the kids seemed frightened because even if a raid was routine, it was still dangerous and none of them knew if they'd see their parents again at the end of the night. But none of them complained or cried to be left with their parents. They went without complaint.

It wasn't right.

The fear in the kids' eyes the moment a horn sounded. The constant worry for the loss of a loved one. The knowledge that his people were slowly dying because the day would come when they wouldn't have enough food left for everyone and illness would spread like wildfire because of malnutrition.

Stoick barked orders as the first dragons fell into the village, methodically striking the sources the beasts _knew_ to be the most effective for stealing livestock.

They needed to put and end to this. Soon. His people were dying and Stoick couldn't take it any longer.

A blur of blond hair and a swinging axe hurried past him and Stoick looked after Astrid rushing to defend the village like she had from the moment she was old enough to do so. A Zippleback fell victim to her precise blows. A friend of dragons and still she was fighting, _killing_ them, to protect Berk. Stoick saw her a few times again while he fought his own battles and made sure not too many dragons got to leave the island with their prices. She never strayed far from her house, though. And Stoick had to watch with a heavy heart that she had good reason to, because some ill-minded villagers tried sneaking in with weapons at the ready, possibly to take the life of her husband.

Stoick made sure to remember who they were. All of them would be receiving a visit and stern talking-to from him come morning. But for now, he had to make sure they all survived long enough for that.

=0=

Consciousness was an elusive thing. Every time his eyes fluttered and a cacophony of noise reached through the thick clouds his head was clogged in, he already felt sleep pulling him back under again. Moving didn't hurt, but it wasn't comfortable either during the few moments he was _there_ enough to attempt twisting his body. He was dimly aware that he must be under the influence of some drug or another, but really it was hard to tell. Sometimes he thought to hear voices, but that could also be his dreams. Other times he thought someone was touching him, holding his hand or prodding something at his side he slipped to soon away from to really put his finger on. Then he saw the golden waves of his wife's hair, her face turned down and away from him. He wasn't sure if it was reality or a dream. Or maybe he was in Valhalla and she was indeed one of their Valkyries. His Valkyrie.

His head was throbbing, a dull beat akin to his pulse. His throat was parched and mouth incredibly dry, his tongue feeling like he'd eaten sand. Moving his head was possible, but it hurt, momentarily increasing the dull throb to a sharp pound. His eyes fluttered open just a little, mostly on their own accord than by his command. Light was filtering through, not much but bright enough to sting behind his eyes. He closed them again quickly and waited a moment before slowly sliding them open again.

He view he got once his vision shifted into focus wasn't particularly telling to him. He was surrounded by wooden walls that could either belong to a house or a jail. There was a single window he could make out from the corner of his eye that let in the light of a very early morning, the scene cast in greys more than in colour. His other senses only came to him slowly, making it hard to decipher between what he _supposed_ was there and what it _actually_ was. It dawned on him, though, that he wasn't in a jail of any sorts. Jails — in his limited experience — didn't come with proper beds and bedding. But there was a pillow under his head, he noticed, and a soft fur tugged tightly but not uncomfortably around him. He tried to think of the last thing he remembered, but his thoughts were mushing together into a mess he was too fogged-up to untangle.

Hiccup curled his fingers, one by one, getting a feeling for his limbs again. His movements were slow and sluggish, his head still not completely clear of whatever he had been given. Feeling tickled back into his body and with it came the desire to roll onto his side. He was sleepy from having been knocked out Odin-knew how long. He moved his weight, grunting at the effort, and landed on his side only to wish he hadn't done it. A sharp pain worse than his headache shot up from his side and he yelped. His breathing hitched for a moment, two, his body unwilling to move any more as pain raked through him. It cost him more strength than it should to turn back over and lie on his back. Tears stung his eyes when he finally managed it. He didn't even have the breath or the energy left to wipe at his face and clear his vision.

His breath was coming in shorter gasps for some time while he tried to manage the pain by just ignoring it. His memories came back to him in a jumbled mess, then, but it wasn't hard putting them into order.

Facing off against Johann.

The dagger landing in his side.

Toothless flying as fast as he could while Hiccup fought to stay conscious.

Landing and being surrounded by hostility.

Astrid. His wonderful Astrid right at his side and fending for him when he was already too far gone to do so himself.

He didn't recall being taken where he was now, but he didn't doubt it had something to do with his wife.

Something else nagged at his mind, then, but the exhaustion from rolling onto his side was already taking its toll on him. His thoughts muddled again as quickly as they had cleared and sleep tugged him under once more.

When Hiccup opened his eyes the next time, it was significantly brighter and the rising sun was painting the world in colours rather than the dull picture he had gotten last time. He couldn't tell how much time had passed. Had it been a few hours? A day? More? All he knew was that his throat still felt like he had covered it in sand and the throbbing of his head also wasn't much better yet. His mind didn't feel as sluggish anymore, though still not completely right. And then there was the pain in his side where the dagger had pierced him.

Lying on his back was still uncomfortable. He must have lain in that position for a while to the point where his butt started to feel numb. He tried sitting up with his elbows, but quickly laid that plan to rest as his arms started to quiver more than holding him up and he flopped back down with a huff both of frustration and simply because the air was knocked from his chest. Also, his injury happened to be _just_ where he needed to bend to sit up. Amazing. Once again, the gods couldn't have taken a _little_ mercy on him. Sometimes he wondered why he still bothered praying to them at all. But then again, they had brought Toothless into his life and Astrid and Eret and Heather. The few people left he cared for that he could rely on. For every bad thing that happened, the gods had sent him someone to help him through it.

Hiccup hadn't known he wasn't alone in the room until he heard the shuffling of furs on the floor next to the bed he was lying in. Which was surprising since it was so quiet, he should've heard the breathing that wasn't his. Maybe his senses hadn't returned fully yet after all. Hiccup's heart sped up. He had no idea where he was and who was with him in the room and _clearly_ his mask had been take off. He vaguely recalled asking Astrid not to, but maybe he had dreamed that. Or just imagined it.

The person shuffled around some more and Hiccup debated acting asleep. If they didn't know he was awake then… He didn't even really know what it was that he didn't want them to do, his mind muddled and slow in processing. He must've insisted on the mask for a reason, so what if—

"Hiccup?" a female voice gasped. He recognised that voice. He had dreamt often enough of hearing it again that now that he got to hear the real deal he realised that no memory was nearly as good as this.

Hiccup slowly turned his head and came face to face with his Valkyrie. Hair bedraggled, eyes bloodshot from a long night and dark smudges all over her face. And yet he didn't think he had ever seen anything more beautiful. His lips stretched into a grin, fingers twitching to tug away astray strands of golden locks. Her braid was a mess. "You got soot on your nose, love," he rasped, voice strained and hoarse from disuse.

For a moment, Astrid sat stunned, a huff of breath leaving her and she looked like she as about to collapse. Then, swifter than his eyes could capture, she was scrambling up and onto the bed, her arms flying around him. He felt her nonsensical chanting of 'oh gods, oh gods, oh gods' against his neck, mixed with the occasional murmur of his name.

Hiccup brought his arms up and held her tightly against him. Or rather, as tight as his injury and low energy would allow. He buried his face in her hair, caressing a hand through the golden locks. For the moment, he ignored the pain burning at his side, focusing instead on Astrid.

Before long, Astrid pulled away just enough that he could see her blue eyes shimmer, the small scratches on her cheek, the freckles dusting the bridge of her nose underneath the smudges. Before he could wonder about it, though, she was grinning at him, mouth starting to talk and that was all that mattered.

"You're awake," she said, voice tight. One of her hands brushed hair from his forehead that he hadn't even noticed.

"Apparently," he mumbled and leaned into her touch. He blinked sluggishly. Moving felt like wading through chest-deep mud, but he needed to make sure that he was really awake and this wasn't just a very realistic dream. He was solid under his touch, vivid to look at, unmistakably true. "Tell me I'm not in Valhalla."

She choked a laugh, eyes twinkling. Gods, had he missed her. "No, you are not." She pressed her forehead to his, impossibly close but not enough. Curse his injury. "You're here. You're alive."

He breathed her in, tightening his hold on her when she made to slip back. "I missed you," he rasped, voice dry. "Gods above, I missed you."

"Missed you, too," she replied and angled her head. She was close enough that his injury didn't influence who moved first. He didn't know who did; it didn't matter. Only that finally, after over two months of separation, her lips were on his again. Hard and soft, desperate and relieved, sweet, drowning, finally and not enough all at once.

His breath left him sooner than he'd like and they had to part. His head was dizzy again, but he refused to slip back under just yet. He wanted to relish in this moment, in having his wife finally back in his arms like he'd wished for so often. He was with her again. They weren't restricted by a cruel town anymore. He was back…

…on Berk. The last thing he'd done was direct Toothless towards Berk where Johann had brought her. Berk. Where he couldn't show his face because everyone thought him dead. Or should still do so.

Something must've shown on his face, some of his sudden lurch of panic shooting through him. Astrid sat back and allowed him to breathe. She grabbed his tightly curled hands. "What?" she asked worriedly. "Babe? What is it?"

Hiccup took a deep breath and tried to sit up. Again. He failed. Again. "My mask. Where—? I was wearing it. I know I did. I can't be seen—"

"Shh," she stooped his weak rambling. "It's okay. No one knows and no one's gonna come in here for now, alright? You don't need it right now."

"But—"

She leaned across him and reached for the nightstand next to the bed. She leaned back with his flying mask in hand. "It's right here," she said. "But right now, you don't need it. It's only me here."

Hiccup closed his eyes for a moment. His quick burst of alarm left him feeling worn out more than he already was. When he opened them again, Astrid had swapped his mask for a cup.

"You should drink something," she told him. "Your voice sounds awful. Like it hurts."

She helped him sit up a little, expertly slipping pillows behind his back before he could even realise what she was doing. He forced the water down his throat, grimacing at every gulp. But when the cup was almost empty, he was already feeling slightly better. His mind wasn't as muddled, either.

"What… what happened to Toothless?" he was almost afraid to ask. But he needed to know what had happened to him. If anything had happened to Toothless just because he had been stupid enough to let Johann live… Hiccup wouldn't be able to forgive himself for that.

Astrid gnawed on her lip. "He's in the Ring. Alive, mind you. But… you can imagine that not everyone is happy about a live Night Fury in the village. He's… worried about you. Blasted half the arena to pieces because he wanted to know what happened to you."

Hiccup felt the tension drain out of him. Toothless was alive.

"I brought him a basket of fish yesterday," Astrid continued. He watched her stand up and fuss around the room with some things he didn't care look at. Not when he instead could look at her face and how she ran a cloth over it to rub away the soot. He needed to ask her about that. But not now. Not right now.

"That damn stubborn dragon wanted to go on a hunger strike. I almost had to force the fish down his throat and needed to do some very heavy convincing that everything's alright. Ever tried explaining wound-treatment to a dragon? Definitely not easy, I can tell you that." She worked on her hair next and just watching her get presentable made a calmness spread through him that he hadn't felt in quite a while. How much he had missed even the smallest of habits of his wife.

"I promised him to be back today," she said. "The guards they put at the Ring refuse to get anywhere near him to feed him and also don't want to 'waste' any resources on him."

Hiccup furrowed his brows. "I— Does Berk know you're—"

Astrid looked away for a moment and he stopped. "I'm probably going to be put on trial for sympathising with dragons. I told the Chief… basically everything. Not about you, though. That's not something I'm gonna spring on him. But everything you taught me about dragons."

Hiccup didn't know what to say to that. He probably should say something. But all his head came up with was how he didn't want her on trial for something she didn't have control of. She shouldn't be put on trial for something he had brought her into. But she was already talking again.

"You… are on trial, too, by the way." She turned her brush over and over in her hands, her hair halfway tamed. "For flying in on a Night Fury. For being 'in league' with Drago. For… I guess the council just really doesn't like Horren Bludvist," she said in a small voice. She sat back down next to him and he reached for her hand.

"It's okay," he said. He felt the urge to comfort her, to make it seem less bleak. But he knew it was a lie. It wasn't okay. Just one moment to breathe through and already things were falling apart again, out of his control.

Astrid tugged her lips up in what was supposed to be a smile. She failed terribly at making it one. He tugged at her hand, wanting her closer again. She complied and squeezed in on the small bed next to him, half lying on his uninjured side. Her face in the crook of his neck and his arm circled around her. It felt so incredibly right holding her close.

"There's so much we need to talk about," she mumbled.

"I know," he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. Already, he felt sleep tugging at him again, strong enough to let his eyelids droop for several moments. "Not now, though."

"Not now," she agreed. She stretched up and pressed another kiss to his lips. Sweet and slow and tired and relieved.

Hiccup gave in to unconsciousness with his wife snuggled close to him.

The warmth of Astrid pressed to him was gone when Hiccup woke next. The sun shining through the single window had gone low on the horizon, painting the world a warmer hue than it was this far north; especially this time of year. Summer was still in the future and sometimes winter still decided to rear its ugly head to remind everyone that it was never truly gone in the Barbaric Archipelago. At least it seemed like a relatively peaceful evening without too many rain clouds casting shadows overhead.

Hiccup investigated the room from his confinement on the bed. Whatever kind of drug he had been on, the effects were almost completely gone. His mind was clear safe for the dizziness of just waking up. On the nightstand stood a pitcher and a full cup. He downed it's contents without much thought. It helped his dry mouth, but his stomach grumbled angrily. Goodness, how long had he been out in total? He had forgotten to ask Astrid.

At least, he could sit up now. It hurt like hell, but his arms didn't give out while pushing himself up. And he was tired of lying down. He would try standing up, but didn't want to push his luck yet. That was, were his bladder not screaming at him for relief. He easily found a chamber pot, but had to balance himself on the edge of the bed for support. He would've been embarrassed for his inability to even relieve himself without keeling over, but his side was protesting in pain and his head was swimming from lying down so long and suddenly being upright and there was no one there to witness him so embarrassment was rather a waste of energy that he decided to deal with later.

The room was sparsely furnished. A bed, a chest, a rack displaying a handful of various weapons. He recognised all of them, having made each and ever single one for his wife. One spot was empty and he suspected that it usually held her axe. There hung a fur from the rafters in front of where he suspected the door out of the room or the stairs down. He could hear noise through the planks of the floor, people talking downstairs and stuff — chairs? — being dragged around, scraping over the ground. I took him a bit to tune his ears to make out the conversation.

For a moment, Hiccup had trouble placing the voices. There were two male ones— no, three. And one of the two female ones definitely belonged to Astrid. Could the other one be Ruffnut? He thought he had heard her talk when he'd landed in the middle of the village with Toothless.

"If you touch those bandages, I'mma cut off your arm and feed it to the dragon!" Yup, definitely Ruffnut. "I just cooked them out and I don't need your grimy fingers on them, buttelf!" So one of the male ones must be her twin. Ruff had called Tuff buttelf ever since they'd all been children.

"Geesh."

Steps too heavy to be Astrid's sounded up the stairs.

"Nuh-uh, get your ass back down here, Snot. I'm tired of telling you every other minute." Now _that_ was Astrid. "I thought I'd made myself clear the first time."

"But-"

"No buts."

"I just—"

"Now!"

"Ugh! All the chairs are taken!" Snotlout wailed. "I just wanted to sit down, Thor damn it." A heavy weight plumped down and Hiccup suspected he had sat down on the stairs, grumbling unintelligibly.

"Just don't go up. I don't—"

"Yeah, yeah. You don't want me up there. You don't want _anyone_ up there. I _know_."

"I don't understand why, tough." That was Fishlegs. Apparently, Astrid had all of their old peers over for… dinner? Was that what that delicious smell was? Someone must've cooked and Hiccup doubted that it his wife was. "It's not like we'd recognise him. All this secrecy seems… unnecessarily complicated."

"I'm allowed up there," Ruff threw in.

"Yah." Tuffnut. "Because one, you're a woman. And two, you're weirdly obsessed with other people's wounds."

"Still got that mask, though."

Hiccup leaned his head against the headboard, staring up at the ceiling, tuning the conversation out. So his identity really was still a secret. For now that was good. But he couldn't keep hiding forever, didn't _want_ to do so, either. If he could somehow convince his father that dragons weren't bad then he could lift the mask and maybe — if the gods were pleased enough with him to let him find some peace — he could call Berk his home again. It was what Astrid had dreamt of and it had invoked the same desire in him. He had never stopped missing this wet rock in the middle of the ocean. Now that he was finally here again, he had to do everything he could that he could stay here as well. And preferably not end up loosing his head along the way.

It took a while for the ruckus downstairs to calm down and Hiccup heard most of Astrid's visitors bidding good night. The sky was really already starting to darken again.

Two voices remained, though. Astrid and Ruffnut. A light pair of steps made up the staircase. Hiccup contemplated reaching for the mask, but then Astrid already poked her head through the fur-curtain. Surprise flashed over her face, quickly replaced by a fond smile. He couldn't help but return it.

"Awake again, I see," she said and came over to him. A steaming bowl of whatever he'd smelled all along in her hands. His stomach gave a demanding growl. She laughed and sat down next to him on the bed. Without prompting she leaned forward and in for a kiss. Hiccup drew it out longer than just the quick peck she had obviously intended for; but then again, he hadn't gotten to kiss her in way too long and wanted to make each and every opportunity count. Astrid made a pleased little sound and he smiled against her lips, eventually ending the moment himself because there was just no way he could keep kissing her and simultaneously grin as broadly as he did.

"Been for a while now," he responded once he drew back. The kiss left him feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside. It wasn't the buzzing excitement he'd felt when first falling in love with her. No, it was just a quick reminder of his body that this felt so inexplicably _right_ and that Astrid was _home_ and _gods_ had he missed her.

"Why didn't you let me know?" She pressed the bowl into his hands. "I could've brought you something up sooner."

Hiccup shrugged and examined the contents of it. Some kind of chicken broth, he suspected. He wasn't sure. And he didn't care, either. As long as it was edible he'd eat anything right now. "There were people in the house." That reminded him of Ruffnut who was still downstairs, doing something that involved an awful grinding-noise and an off-key tune she whistled.

"They wouldn't have dared going upstairs," Astrid told him as he took a tentative first spoonful. It tasted great and was just the right temperature. He set the spoon aside and instead brought the bowl to his lips. Astrid chuckled. "Easy there. No one's gonna come steal your soup and we have more downstairs."

He finished half the bowl in one go. "I'm famished." The rest of the soup disappeared quickly as well.

Astrid shook her head in amusement. "That's what you get for being knocked out for over two days. I did try getting something inside of you, but you try feeding an unconscious person. Was hard enough keeping you hydrated enough."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow at her. "Just two days? Sure feels longer." He set the empty bowl aside. His stomach had stopped grumbling. For now.

"Tell me about it." Astrid kicked her boots off, scooted up the bed and rested her head on his shoulder. Their hands intertwined seamlessly, fitting together like two puzzle pieces. The way she was gnawing on her lip told Hiccup that there was a lot on her mind that she just didn't know how to breach the topic. He didn't push her to just say what ever she needed saying; experience had shown that she was more comfortable finding the words at her own pace. Hiccup leaned down and nuzzled her hair.

"Eret and Heather are here," she eventually said. "Stormfly too. They are near Raven Point."

Hiccup kissed her temple. "I know. I told them to come here and find you. Just in case. Did you see them?"

She nodded. "I saw Eret. Heather was… I don't know where she was. Running around the island to spy, I suppose. Eret said she'd wanted to check something out and I didn't have much time."

"Did he tell you about what happened?"

Astrid craned her head back to look at him. "If you mean regarding Johann and that your mother is also not as much on our side as we thought? Yeah."

"Mom's probably the reason why I got arrested back in Greuelorm," he admitted and looked away. The thought that his mother really had been selling him out to Drago all along still stung. He had trusted her, had been willing to love her even after she had not bothered with him for most of his life. And that was how she paid him back. Some days, Hiccup wished he had never found her again.

Astrid didn't say anything. There wasn't anything she really could say, Hiccup thought. She just squeezed his hand, a silent reassurance that she was there for him and would stay by his side. She didn't need to say those things aloud for him to know. He read it in her blue, blue eyes shining and shimmering with empathy. They had both been screwed over by a parent; just one more thing that bound them together, made them hold onto each other more strongly. Astrid was his anchor and the world could be falling apart around him and she would still be there, holding his hand through it all.

Hiccup thought about telling Astrid about Johann's motivations regarding his bringing her back to Berk — that he had wanted to keep Hiccup busy searching all over the archipelago for her just so he wouldn't be able to thwart Drago's plans — but decided against it. That was a discussion for another time. Maybe tomorrow, maybe even later. What was more urgent was making sure he _could_ thwart Drago's plans.

"Eret told me you've been held in the dungeons," Astrid said. "He wouldn't tell me much more than that, though."

Hiccup sighed. Another conversations he'd like to have at a later point, but he could see the questions burning behind his wife's eyes. The worry and fear flickering. And a simmering rage on his behalf. He didn't doubt that she'd try tearing Drago a new one for everything that had happened.

"That's because there isn't much to tell," he said. "I've been held prisoner in the most miserable cell they could find for about… almost four weeks, I think. I don't really know because there isn't much of a day-and-night rhythm to go off of in a dungeon. Always just the same tired and bored guards, regardless of the hour."

Astrid furrowed her brows, lips tight. "He said you looked like a ghost when they got you out."

"Must be because of the sheer hospitality they had going on down there," he said sarcastically. "Definitely the gourmet food and the top-notch sleeping accommodations. Leisure-time activities were also quite entertaining. Really worth an extended stay."

Astrid shot a withering glare up at him. "You're so lucky you're already injured or I would've hit you for that. _Gods_. You're the absolute worst."

Hiccup couldn't suppress his grin. The memories of his time in the dungeons underneath Greuelorm weren't even slightly nice or worth grinning over. But to see that his sarcasm still had the same exasperated-eyerolling effect on Astrid as ever was definitely worth grinning over.

"Stop grinning," she told him. "That was bad. Really bad. Even for your standards." Just a glimmer of humour appeared in her eyes, gone in a flicker of time. The worry won this round.

Hiccup touched her cheek, replying genuinely, "I won't lie, it really was awful. I… wasn't tortured or anything if that's what you're worried about. But I think…" He took a deep breath unable to meet her eyes. Not if he couldn't shield himself with sarcasm. "If Heather and Eret had gotten me out any later, I would've gone mad down there, Astrid. I was kept on a bare minimum of bread and water and it was constantly dark and I was alone." He cracked a grimaced smile. "Apparently, my thoughts alone aren't the best company to have."

"Hiccup," she whispered somewhere between shock and sympathy.

"It's alright, love. They got me out and we got away and I'm here now. It's alright." It wasn't though. Not everything and not as much as it should. But he'd gladly already overcome most demons from those few weeks in the dungeons.

Astrid leaned against him and for a while they just held each other tightly.

He was here. She was here. And for now, she couldn't be taken from him. They were safe even if only for a moment.

Their moment of peace was interrupted rather harshly, though. The sun was on it's last glimpse over the horizon before it would disappear for the night, making space for the moon. Ruffnut was still in the house and Hiccup had to begrudgingly admit to himself that he had forgotten completely about her presence just a floor below.

"Oi!" Ruffnut Thorston yelled up the stairs. "Are you two done being all cuddly and stuff? Those bandages still need changing."

With a groan, Astrid slipped from his grasp. "Be right back," she said and disappeared behind the fur curtain, taking the empty bowl of soup back with her. Hiccup heard the two women rummaging about downstairs, occasionally hissing something to each other, but their words stayed a mystery to him. Listening in on conversations was way easier if the people talking did so loudly and without care for who might be listening in on them. And for all Hiccup knew, he could be not the only one doing exactly that.

Eventually, Astrid came back up the stairs, hands full of clean cloths. "Ruff's coming up in a minute," she informed him. Hiccup immediately grabbed for his mask. Astrid sat on the edge of the bed again and stopped his hand. "Don't bother. She knows."

"What do you mean, she knows?" Hiccup hissed, slightly alarmed.

"I mean," Astrid said, "she knows about you. I… told her when I had a lot on my mind and needed at least _someone_ to talk to without checking every word twice. I'm sorry."

Hiccup blinked, breathed in, breathed out, and set the mask back down. It was a strange feeling, knowing you'd meet someone you had last seen years before again. When he'd see Astrid again for the first time, it was a coincidence. This wasn't coincidence. And his nerves were on the edge of jumping out the window. It was a good thing he couldn't even leave the bed without his side protesting harshly.

"Are you mad I told her?"

"No." And it was the truth. He knew that Astrid wouldn't betray his secret until absolutely necessary. And whatever she'd had to go through, it probably wasn't a easy. "Just would've been nice knowing a bit sooner."

Astrid leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Sorry," she repeated without a hint of regret in her voice. Astrid wasn't one to regret her choices easily. And if she didn't regret telling Ruffnut, then it wouldn't be so bad. Right?

Either way, Hiccup didn't have time to contemplate the new situation further. Ruffnut already came barging up the stairs and didn't pause for even a second before entering the small bedroom. Astrid's hand found his and squeezed tightly, reassuring. Ruffnut hadn't changed all that much since Hiccup had last seen her almost six years ago other than that she had gotten older.

"Odin's fucking balls," Ruffnut said after a moment of silence and staring. "Someone pinch me."

Astrid obliged the request with a smirk and Ruffnut yelped. "Hiccup?"

"Um.. Hi? I guess?" He rubbed the nape of his neck. His heart was thumping as fast as Toothless' wings beat at top-speed. His fingers were still itching for the mask. When he'd first touched down on Berk with Toothless — barely conscious and only half-aware of his surroundings — the mask had meant a layer of safety beyond shielding his face from the harsh winds of flying. It meant anonymity, the protection of a foreign identity. With the mask on, he would've been able to look just about anyone on Berk in the eyes just because he _knew_ they wouldn't recognise the boy he'd been when he left. No one recognised a ghost of the past.

But the mask was already off his face and Ruffnut was already in the room and Astrid had told her already, anyway. There was no point in donning the mask now.

Ruffnut shook her head and tilted her mouth into a mischievous curve. "Hot damn. I thought Astrid was exaggerating, but damn it, apparently she was it was an understatement."

Instantly, the all thought about masks and revealed identities and everything he wasn't yet ready to face slipped from his mind and the hand from his neck. "W—What?" He looked between the two women.

Astrid levelled a warning look at Ruffnut. "Don't."

"All I'm saying is—"

"Ruff, I swear to the gods if you—"

"—that you didn't tell me just how—"

"One more word and—"

"—good puberty was to him!" Ruffnut said as if Hiccup wasn't right there.

"Ugh!" Astrid threw a pillow at Ruffnut who dodged it with a cackle. "What did we just talk about downstairs?"

"Sorry, but…" Ruffnut directed her gaze back to Hiccup who just watched them with incomprehension. "Who'd have known that _that_ 's how you'd turn out."

 _Oh._

"Uh…" His hand went back to his neck. That was… _so_ not how he'd expected this to go.

"Alright," Astrid said, clearly done with this situation. She jumped off the bed and instantly the hand she'd bee holding felt cold. "Bandages. Now."

Ruffnut cackled again and waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, Mrs. Bossy." To Hiccup she said, suddenly most mirth gone and a rather… professional expression on her face, "And you, Mister Not-so-dead-after-all. Shirt off and lie down. I need to see if that wound is healing properly."

Hiccup complied with just a little hesitation. He remembered that Astrid had mentioned — albeit a good while ago — that Ruffnut had started an apprenticeship with Gothi. Before he lay down, Astrid unwound the old bandage from his middle. It stuck a little to the wound, but the last layer came off with a tug. Hiccup hissed.

"The painkillers are probably wearing off," Ruffnut informed him while she brought her supplies in order on the nightstand that was overflowing with clean bandages, little jars of ointments and salves and what he suspected was a flask of some alcohol of sorts. "Another dose before you sleep and you should be good until morning. But after that, I'll lower the dosage. Can't have you being awake _and_ high when every other hour someone barges in here to question you."

"Alright," he said, unsure what else to reply. He grimaced as he lay down because of the stress the movement put on his wound. It had been stitched where the dagger had pierced him, the skin around the wound coloured like a nasty bruise and droplets of blood slowly tickling out, dried half-way.

Ruffnut didn't talk much while she took care of the wound and Hiccup did his best to squirm as little as possible as she poked and prodded the sensitive flesh. He grit his teeth and cursed under his breath when she cleaned it with the alcohol; but not before taking a swig of the flask himself. Oh, how he hated that part of wound-treatments. Astrid shot him a disapproving look, but he ignored it. He was the one with a stab-wound at his stomach and if he felt he needed a gulp of whatever awful kind of alcohol was in that flask to make the treatment a little more bearable, then that was that. He also ignored the following disapproving looks from his wife as he continued to grumble profanities.

Ruffnut cackled again at a rather filthy one. "That one could make a sailor blush. Where'd you learn to swear like that, H? Don't think I've ever heard you use that kind of language back when." She dabbed again with an alcohol-soaked piece of cloth. He glared at her.

"Just get this fucking over with," he ground out. "And— hey! Sure, tug on the fucking thread while you're at it, why don't you. Thor fucking damn it."

"Your own fault if you work the stitches loose and tear open the wound agai," Ruffnut snapped back. "You should be damn glad it didn't start bleeding like a bitch again."

Hiccup threw his head back with an aggravated groan, but instead of getting to stare at the roughly hewn beams of the ceiling, Astrid looked back down at him.

"Just let Ruff do her job, babe," she told him and stroked a stray hair out of his face.

"Easy for you to say," he said and reached for her hand. Concentrating on his wife's face instead of whatever Ruffnut was doing to his wound next helped, though. It wasn't nearly as discomforting as before — which also may be because Ruffnut had finally ditched the alcohol.

Eventually, Ruffnut instructed him to sit back up. "Slowly and carefully. I just fixed that threading and if it opens again it'll have to be restitched." Hiccup didn't like the thought of getting poked with a needle while he was fully conscious, so he did as the healer-apprentice instructed. With help of Astrid. A new set of bandages went around his stomach while Ruffnut told him all the ways he wasn't allowed to move just yet so that the skin could close back up.

"And don't scratch at it," she warned with a poignantly pointed finger. "It's probably gonna start itching, but if you scratch it, it'll only come open again and heal real ugly. Understood?"

"Not like I've never had stitches ever before in my entire life," he deadpanned and earned himself a light slap to the arm. From Astrid though, not from Ruffnut.

"She's just doing her job," she reminded him. "And by the way, remember when you cut open your arm because you and Eret were being drunk idiots with swords? You scratched at it _all the time_ even though you told the healer the exact same thing."

Hiccup looked back at his wife over his shoulder where she sat behind him on the bed. "Thanks for the reminder." Another deadpan. Though she did have a point there.

Ruffnut tied up the last knot. "All done." She gave his chest a little pat and rummaged about her supplies; closing jars of ointments up, folding unused bandages and recapping the flask.

Astrid passed him back his tunic. Only now did he notice that it wasn't the one he'd worn when confronting Johann, nor was it one from Toothless' saddlebag. "Whose is this?"

"Tuffnut's," Astrid said and helped him tug it back on without stressing the injury. His right arm was not allowed up over his shoulder to minimise the strain. "You're about the same size."

"Ah." That made sense.

There was a moment of silence that was suddenly weighed with unspoken words. Hiccup didn't know where this sudden change of atmosphere came from, but he wanted it gone. Ruffnut was stilling in her movements and worrying her lip.

"Come on, out with it," he said. He could imagine what was coming. After all, he had been believed dead for the past six years and now suddenly reappeared on top of a Night Fury. He and Ruffnut hadn't been remotely close before he had left — his sudden burst of popularity had only come from his sudden success in dragon training and nothing more — but Astrid had said his 'death' had affected most everyone on Berk.

"Why did you feel the need to let everyone think you're dead?" There was no real malice in her words, but her tone wasn't exactly pleasant either. It felt more like an accusation. Like he was responsible for all the bad that was happening to Berk.

"I… actually didn't," he said, looking down at the hem of the tunic that wasn't his. "I didn't even know everyone thinks I'm dead until Astrid told me."

"Yeah, but you could've just left a message. Like, _hey guys, I'm taking a little vacation from Berk. Possibly forever, maybe not. I'm not dead though, so don't sent search parties after me. Have a nice life."_

Hiccup winced. "Not my best moment or decision, I know."

"Damn straight, Haddock. And you might wanna go apologise to Snot. He's been thrown into _your_ job, filling in as heir and got lectures from the Chief every time he so much dared to breathe. Or think. Or do literally nothing wrong at all except not being _you_."

"I…"

"Ruffnut," Astrid said.

"Almost done," Ruff said and held up a finger before she continued. "You knew about dragons. You have a _pet dragon_ for crying out loud. And did you ever think about _maybe_ using it to figure out why in Helheim we're hit by raids all the time?" Hiccup oh so badly wanted to put his head in his hands; but that would be against Ruffnut's instructions. "Maybe… maybe — with your help and with a dragon on our side — we could've figured out a way to stop the raids _years ago_."

"I… didn't think me staying would've made a difference. I thought the village was better off without me." That was years of insecurity and being an outcast in his own tribe speaking. Now, he knew better and his decisions would be different than fourteen-year-old Hiccup's.

"Oh? Just because you blew up the village every other week and hit people with crazy faulty inventions? Guess what, Tuff and I _still_ blow up parts of the village every other week and prank everyone who isn't careful enough. The village is _so_ not happy with us either. Difference is, we stay here and keep our rolls in the tribe to contribute something rather than nothing at all."

Ruffnut closed the last jar with more force than necessary and Hiccup winced again, pulling his face into a grimace. Ruffnut had a point in her argumentation, but she wasn't entirely right either.

"I couldn't have stayed without endangering Toothless," he said. It wasn't the best argument; the life of one dragon weighed up against the wellbeing of an entire village. But at that time, Toothless had been all Hiccup had, all he would've gone to the end of the world for because Toothless understood him on a level no one else did. It had been a simple decision back then. Now it wasn't so simple anymore. "And I can't change my past decisions."

Ruffnut regarded him for a second, then glided her eyes over to Astrid, and back again. She tapped a finger on the jar's lid, slowly like she was measuring beats of time. Eventually, she nodded. "Welcome back, Hiccup. Don't fake-die on us again."

"Thanks, Ruffnut. I'm done running from my problems."

Ruffnut snorted. "Say that again once you've gotten rid of that mask. It looks ridiculous."

Behind him, Astrid broke out into laughter. "Sorry, babe, but it really does."

Hiccup wanted to glare at her, at them both. But he couldn't find it in him to really mean it. So instead of glaring, he leaned backwards and pressed a quick kiss to the soft skin where her jaw ended, just below her ear. Astrid squeaked between her laughs.

"You're so lucky I love you or else I'd be wearing it all the time just to tick you off," he said.

"Lucky me indeed," she snickered and stole a proper kiss from him. Not that he minded. He never minded.

"I'm gonna interrupt you two right here," Ruffnut said and they parted, reluctantly. She had her arms akimbo and the mischief was back, showing blatantly on her face. "Before you get any filthy ideas for when I leave, heavy jostling is gonna wreck those stitches and strain the wound. We want that thing closed as fast and neatly as possible, not ripped back open and bloody just because you two can't keep your hands off each other. The passionate happy-reunion-sex'll have to wait for a while." With that, Ruffnut retreated down the stairs before the blood had finished rushing into his cheeks.

"I'll leave you the painkiller-sleep-drug-tea steeping on the table," Ruff yelled up the stairs and cackled at the sputtering of the couple. indignation

Astrid groaned and hid her face on his shoulder. "Sometimes I feel like throwing my axe at her. Inappropriate bitch."

Ruffnut kept rummaging about downstairs for a bit before yelling a "Good night! Go easy on those stitches!" up at them and then Hiccup supposed it was the front door falling shut behind her.

"That was," Hiccup slowly said, "something."

"It's Ruff," Astrid replied to his shoulder. "What do you expect?"

"I don't know. More lewd comments."

He felt his wife grin. "She made those. You just weren't around to hear them. But believe me, her well of lewd comments is far from being dry yet."

"She should meet Eret," Hiccup said, suddenly overcome by a yawn. "They would make an inappropriately lewd couple."

Astrid parted from his shoulder, eyes glistening with secretes. "Just one problem with that. Well… two. Ruff is with Fish and Eret definitely already has cast an eye on Snot."

"What? When did that happen?"

"I went to see Eret and Snot came along. Really, I think it might've been love on first sight."

"Huh."

Eret's flexible desires for both men and women was nothing new to Hiccup. He'd seen his fried chase after either sex often enough that it didn't come as a surprise any more. But… Snotlout?

"What's Snotlout's stand on the matter?" he asked because _that_ was a new concept to him. He remembered his cousin's infatuation with Astrid or any other girl who only so much as looked in his direction.

Astrid hesitated, mirth dulled a bit. She looked up as though to find the answer hanging in the air above her. She was so clearly debating with herself whether she should tell him or not that she didn't even _need_ to tell him anymore for him to know. The answer was so blatantly obvious in her inability to answer.

Hiccup blinked. "Huh. That's something new." Then he furrowed his brows. "Is he… not open with it? With himself?" For as long as Hiccup had known Eret, his friend had bee open and comfortable with his sexual preferences. It was… not weird, but sad to think that others were not. And sad only because it must be the social circles around them pressuring them into believing there's anything to hide when it came to their preferences in bed mates.

Astrid sighed and shook her head. "No. Spitelout is pretty clear about how he wants Snot's life to look like. I… don't think he's ready to have everyone know about his feelings. Actually, I think I'm the only one he's told." She stood up and padded for the stairs. "I'm gonna go get that tea. It should be done steeping now."

While Astrid got the tea, Hiccup mused over his cousin. Everything he'd been told about Snotlout was so drastically different to the boy Hiccup had grown up with. He'd missed out on so much on Berk. Astrid had told him a lot, but that was still different to seeing it for himself. He really had made a stupid decision back then, leaving with Toothless and never once returning. Of course, he missed his father, missed Gobber, missed a great lot actually. But it had never been a good enough motivation to return until it had been because of Astrid. Only his wife had been motivation enough to return.

What a fool he was. For letting himself think that his absence had been for the better. For letting Valka anchor him to Greuelorm where most was made of misery. For getting himself tangled in a political net of warfare instead of choosing from moment one the isle he'd grown up on.

 _Eret. Heather._ He reminded himself of those two people who had helped shape the person he was now. He wouldn't have met them were it not for Greuelorm. Wouldn't think of them as family more than just friends.

It was for naught pondering the what-ifs and could-haves of his life. Maybe he wasn't living the best life he could right now, but he could fight to get there, could make the best of it still.

And for that to happen, he needed to convince a whole island full of dragon-hating stubborn vikings to accept him. And then he needed to come clear about himself. He just hoped he had enough time for that before the first troops with the Bludvist banner started to arrive.

 **A/N:**

Whelp. This chapter definitely turned out longer than I'd anticipated. Especially Hiccup's part. I hope none of you are gonna lynch me because of lot of things you've been rooting for to happen in the amazing reviews you left didn't happen. Like, Hiccup still doesn't know that he's gonna be a dad. Stoick doesn't know that his son's not dead. Heather's still not arrived back on-screen. Basically, if I think about it, I don't know what most of the 16k of this chapter have any business being there… But hey! At least I gave you that Hiccstrid reunion, right? Also, please don't look to closely at the medical accuracy of Hiccup's wound and all. Most of this is based on assumptions and my limited experience with wound-treatment of this level. If anyone of you DOES know better than me and sees mistakes, please do tell me so I can be educated and learn because I did not have time googling everything I put in. :)

Alright, before I leave, little teaser for the next one: It's gonna involve our dear Valka and you'll want to come after me with pickaxes and pitchforks.

Until the next one, lovelies!


	26. Breathe Through

"You didn't tell him yet?" Ruffnut asked, having returned for another bandage change come midday. Only that Hiccup had slept through most of the morning and Astrid didn't want to wake him just for that. He needed all the recovery he could get and if that included sleeping through most of the day, then so be it.

"It wasn't the moment," Astrid replied, chopping away at the basket of vegetables Mrs. Thorston had brought over, giving Astrid 'domestic work' in hopes of 'domesticating' her. Those had actually been her words. As if Astrid was some stray dog that needed to be taught tricks. The unshapely potato on the board lost its head with more force than necessary.

"It wasn't the moment my ass," Ruff countered. She stood at the fire, stirring a pot of some new concoction containing herbs of all sorts. Astrid hadn't asked if the recipe had come from Gothi herself or if her husband was about to fall victim to Ruffnut's healer-y experimentations. She hadn't dared because she'd rather not know. Sometimes, obliviousness was better than insight. At least it was better for Astrid's nerves.

The rest of the potato — the rather shapely part — Astrid chopped into mostly even pieces. "I can't just spring this on him, you know?" She picked up the head of the potato. Chopped off from the main part of the vegetable, it didn't much resemble a head anymore. It was still unshapely, though. She cut it in half and threw it in the bowl with the other pieces. Once they were cooked, it wouldn't much matter any way. "I know I should tell him sooner rather than later, but… yesterday just didn't feel like the right time and he was only awake for a couple minutes this morning. This isn't something you just… mention like it's nothing."

"True," Ruffnut sniffed her concoction and wrinkled her nose in a comical grimace of disgust. "But Spitelout is still pretty adamant to have you either as his daughter-in-law or ship you away as an outcast. And if you told the hubby, maybe he could get his ass up and talk to his daddy about not actually being a stranger."

"I wish I could just chop off Spitelout's head and feed it to the crows." First on her list of getting-chopped was a crooked carrot.

"Chop, chop, chop away," Ruffnut sang askew in rhythm with Astrid's knife. "Just imagine his head on all those poor veggies. And I wouldn't feed Spite to the crows. Don't think Odin would like something that rotten for dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch. What about the baby?"

"What about it?" Chop, chop, chop.

Ruffnut sighed dramatically as if talking to Astrid was the hardest part of her life so far. "Have you told him _that_ at least?"

"Not yet." The bowl of chopped vegetables was overflowing and Astrid went in search for another one. "It wasn't the moment."

"Oh, fuck you, Hofferson." Ruffnut said it along with another dramatic sigh.

Astrid pointed her knife at her friend. "Wrong name." Every time someone called her by her father's name, she was reminded of that man. He hadn't returned to Berk yet even though Astrid had heard word of him travelling through the Archipelago. She doubted she'd have much positive to sat to him once she saw her father again.

"What?" Ruff asked. "I can't really call you Haddock, even if that's probably the most accurate one. Or do you prefer Bludvist?"

"For now I prefer my first name, thank you very much." _Chop._

"My argument still stands, no matter what I call you." Ruffnut went back to stirring and stirring and throwing more stuff than probably necessary into the kettle. "You need to tell him. You can't hide that for much longer, too. Hiccup _or_ the village. Two more weeks and everyone will know. Three tops."

Now it was Astrid's turn to sigh dramatically. "I know. I'll tell him when he wakes up."

Ruffnut was right. She needed to tell Hiccup. About her pregnancy as well as about Spitelout's agency to get her to marry Snot.

 _Mess. Mess. Mess. My life is a mess._ Sometimes she felt like she was losing her mind.

They worked in companionable silence for a while, the only sounds surrounding them the chatter of the village, the _chop-chop-chop_ of Astrid's knife, and the cracking of the fire. It was nice, but the monotony of Astrid's work meant she had enough of her mind left to contemplate how either conversation she needed to have with Hiccup would turn out. How he'd react. Her first thought was to just deliver both news at the same time and play it like a honey-and-hatchet. Their unborn baby being the honey and Spitelout's audacity the hatchet. Though, it was always a possibility that both would be — in fact — the hatchet for Hiccup and then she'd have no honey to give him to soften the blow.

He wanted children, Astrid knew that. He had told her so when they had talked about it before. But did he want to become a father when war was upon them and neither knew whether the village would let him live? There was so much about the current circumstances that was less than ideal. Her pregnancy was just another problem they needed to deal with and consider.

She wouldn't honey-and-hatchet it. Each topic deserved its own in-depth conversation, not a muddled mess no one was helped with.

The last carrot fell into the bowl, chopped into tinier pieces than the rest of the vegetables, looking like she had thrown orange sprinkles over the potatoes and whatever else Ruff's mother had found and brought to Astrid for chopping.

A thump sounded from upstairs and a low swear. Hiccup must've hit his head or something waking up.

"I'm going to go see Fish," Ruffnut said, looking out of the window with squinted eyes. "We'll change the bandages in the evening. And when I'm back, I want to hear that you've talked to him about _both_. I have a feeling that time's dear and running out. With Spitelout I mean."

"Say hi to Fish from me," Astrid said, already halfway up the stairs. "And don't get yourself knocked up out of marriage!"

"Ha!" The door fell shut behind Ruffnut and Astrid slipped through the fur-curtain.

Hiccup half-sat on the bed, looking more bedraggled and dishevelled than ever. He was rubbing his head and squinted into the noon-light like it had personally offended him. Astrid found the scene rather amusing for some reason. Maybe it was the pregnancy enhancing her moods again. Or altering them. Or whatever. Pregnancy moods were a puzzle with seven locks on it. She was just glad that the morning-sickness had already come and gone for the day.

"Morning, love. Decided to join the living again?" She smiled as she slipped onto the bed next to him. It wasn't technically morning anymore, but Hiccup had apparently just woken up and she wasn't going to ponder semantics right now.

"Morning," he said, frowning. "Please tell me Ruff didn't cook another of those horrible teas again. I don't care if I'm having pain, but Thor, I feel like someone smashed my head against something."

Astrid blinked. "You did that yourself, babe. Just a minute ago. I could hear it downstairs."

"That's because my world feels upside down. Because of those stupid herbs." He rubbed his head again and closed his eyes for a bit longer than just a regular blink. "Really should've thrown Johann overboard. Next time I see him, he's not gonna get away that lucky. He's not gonna get away at all."

Astrid shook her head at him but not without affection. "That would imply that you'd get to him before me, babe. He's a dead man the moment I see him."

Hiccup cracked a smile at her. "I'll hold him up for you then. I'd be a fool to stop my wife when she feels vengeful."

Astrid hummed in agreement and leaned forward. Hiccup met her halfway for a good morning kiss sans the morning. She had missed those. There was a sleepy slowness to it that let the world stand still for the moment. Those fist kisses of the day always tasted like long mornings spent cuddling in bed, of peaceful birdsong, of the sweet intimacy of getting the day started together as husband and wife, as Hiccup and Astrid. She had missed their routine dearly and longed for the sense of normalcy it would give back to her.

Astrid would've loved to draw the kiss out longer, to stay for more and more of them until she could forget the world and lose sense of where she ended and he began. But it wasn't the moment for it and there were other things that needed a moment. Two problems. Two conversations they needed to have. Astrid drew back with a sigh on her lips.

"Head feeling better?" she asked and touched his temple and let her fingers linger on his face. His jaw was scruffy; he'd have to shave the stubble before he looked the part of the dragon riding scoundrel the village saw him as.

"Hmmm. Better than just a minute ago definitely. Maybe it'll go away if I keep kissing you." He tugged her to him and kissed her again. Astrid contemplated melting into him, but just chuckled against his lips.

"There's things we need to talk about, babe," she said and gently pushed away, but Hiccup followed her. He laughed again as his lips wandered over her check, down to her neck. His stubble tickled her.

"Later," he mumbled against her skin.

"No," she grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back for real now. He pouted. "We actually need to talk about this right now." Because one of his hands was on her waist, near her stomach. Her little baby bump was more pronounced now after breakfast and she didn't want him to find out accidentally. This wasn't something to be found out accidentally. At least, not if she could help it.

"Is it really that important?"

"Um, yes. It actually is." His pout got more pronounced and his shoulder sagged rather dramatically. Astrid didn't bite back the grin forming on her lips. "But… I think you're gonna like this one. At least, I hope because there's nothing I can do about it."

"Oh?" The pout instantly disappeared and made way for curiosity. "What is it?"

Suddenly, Astrid didn't find the right words to tell her husband that he was going to be a father. She really should've thought about this a bit more a bit sooner.

She must've been silent and gnawing on her lip with a smile for a moment too long because Hiccup squeezed her hand and cocked his head sideways. "Astrid?"

"Just thinking about _how_ to say this…"

"Um… just straight out with it?" he suggested with a shrug of his shoulder. "You don't usually tip-toe around stuff. Why now?"

"Because this is kinda a bit different. Because—" She settled her nerves with a deep breath. In. And out. She searched his eyes for any indication that he wasn't ready to take on big news at the moment but only found those green orbs twinkling and he nudged her to go on. "Because I'm pregnant."

Astrid held her breath while she waited for him to not just hear what she'd just said, but actually comprehend it. Slowly, his eyes widened and his face went slack, but the hand holding hers gripped just a little tighter.

"Say that again," he said. "I think I misheard you. Did you just say…"

"I'm pregnant, Hiccup." Astrid watched his chest expand in a big breath, noted how it truly sank in. The hand at her waist moved to her stomach and a laugh huffed out of him as felt the bump that hadn't been there just a week or two before. She could easily pass it as just having eaten heartily lately if she wanted. But with the knowledge that it wasn't bloating or a big meal…

"Again," he asked, wonder in his eyes. "Just so I know this isn't actually a dream."

Relief flooded through her as she laughed with him. Tears tickled behind her eyes and she noted that Hiccup's were also shiny with unshed joy. "We're having a baby."

Hiccup's gaze kept flitting between his hand on her stomach and her face, his whole face lit up. "We're having a baby," he repeated and she nodded. "Goodness, Astrid, you're pregnant."

"I know," she laughed.

"We're having a baby. Well, _you're_ having the baby, but we're gonna be parents! And-and-and—" Astrid cut his oncoming ramble short by bringing his other hand to her stomach as well. Immediately, his face went awestruck again and he carefully explored the newness of the small bump. Struck by something, Hiccup abruptly drew her close to him and kissed her firmly. And then again softer and still softer again until she melted against him. "I love you," he mumbled against her lips, "So much."

"Love you, too, babe." Astrid snuggled against him, careful of not disrupting his injury. Her head she settled into the crook of his neck as they just held each other, Hiccup's hands still planted firmly on her stomach and she doubted he'd want to move them anytime soon. The bump really wasn't _that_ pronounced, yet, but if it made him happy who was she to protest.

"I'm going to be a father," he whispered as if this was really just a dream and by speaking it out loud this dream would dissipate, implode, cease to be.

"Well, not for a good while yet," Astrid said, grinning widely. Why had she thought he could react any differently to this again? She couldn't remember.

"Hush, woman, and let me have this."

She did with an affectionate roll of her eyes. Astrid lost track of time as they sat on the bed and Hiccup glowed with the news of their baby. He would mumble sweet nothings to her every once in a while and press kisses on her crown and her temple. Astrid only shortly left to get him something to eat and the herbs Gothi insisted he took. Halfway through his meal, though, Hiccup got restless, wiggling his leg and tapping his fingers against the bowl. When he finished, he made to stand up.

"Whoa, what do you think you're doing, mister?" Astrid tugged him back to sit on the bed.

"I wanna stand up, walk around. You know, _do_ stuff." He struggled against her hold. "You know how much I hate being confined to just one place for longer than a day."

"I know, babe," she said and only when she was certain he wouldn't try escape the bed again did she slacken her hold on him. "But… maybe wait for Gothi to give you the thumbs-up for that, alright? She's supposed to come check on you later today."

"When is later?"

"Probably some time before dinner?" she offered. Astrid didn't really know; the village elder tended to visit her patients whenever it pleased her, not on an agreed upon time. "You know how Gothi can get."

"Yeah, cranky old woman," Hiccup leaned back against her until his head rested in her lap. "I hate not getting to leave the bed when I want to," he pouted.

"Shouldn't have gotten stabbed, then." Astrid carded her fingers through his thick auburn locks. He was in dire need of a bath, having been reduced to washing up in bed. If they were lucky they'd get enough peace and quiet in the evening for her to fill the small tub downstairs and help him with a good scrub-down. Sadly, the tub she kept was way too small for the two of them, not made to accommodate more than one person like the one they'd had in their chambers in Greuelorm. One of the very few perks of the Bludvist manor; ready drawn shared baths whenever they liked thanks to the maids. It miffed her that she couldn't say that _everything_ had been a shit-show during her time on the mainland.

Hiccup seemed to have dozed off while she ran her fingers through his hair. It needed a cut, Astrid noticed absentmindedly; it had gotten long enough again for her to twist a small braid behind his ear. Like whenever she did this, Hiccup's brows cinched together just a fraction, but he never protested nor did he take it out once she'd tied the strands together.

"I want to see Toothless," he said, eyes still closed. "I need to make sure he's really okay."

"What? You don't believe me?"

"I do, but…" He cracked open one eyes. "There's a difference in being told that he's fine and seeing it for myself."

"I know what you mean." She'd take him to visit Toothless immediately if there weren't so many ill-minded people in the village that they could run into. Also, the Chief had already demanded he be informed the moment Hiccup was awake and Ruffnut and her were doing their best to keep him and the council away for just a little while longer. "But even if we sneaked out at night, the guards would never allow you anywhere near him as long as the Chief hasn't given the clear."

Hiccup sighed, eyes both shut again. "And he won't because he thinks I'm someone else."

"That, and the council kinda hates your guts."

"Great. Absolutely great." He fell silent for a moment, mouth dragged to the side as he thought. "What about Eret and Heather? You sneaked to the Cove a couple nights ago. Can't we do that if I already can't go visit Toothless?"

Goodness, how she hated telling him no and seeing his spirits sink. "Once Gothi gives you the clear to get up and walk about, babe. And even then I'd prefer it if you took it easy for a while yet."

He nodded silently, lips turned downward. From Astrid's perspective, it looked like a strange, upside-down smile.

"I'll leave them a message that you woke up," she offered and he nodded again. He reached for her behind him, pulling her hand to his lips and left a kiss on her palm.

"I'm sorry if I sound grumbly and ungrateful," he said, interlocking their hands. He looked up at her. "I'm actually happy right now. Like, _really_ happy. But I just—"

"You hate being tied to bed, I know, babe."

"Still," he said. "I shouldn't let it out on you, Milady. You just told me the most wonderful thing and here I am, moping because I am stuck inside."

"As long as moping about is all you do, I don't have a problem with it." She grinned. "I mean, I sometimes get moody lately for no apparent reason other than growing a baby inside of me. I'm the last one here to judge you."

"No," he agreed. "But you're the first one to haul my ass back into place when I'm being unreasonable or stupid."

Astrid grinned some more. "Of course. That's the first thing listed on the job description as your wife. I'm _supposed_ to call you out on your shit. I always follow my instructions to an a."

"Uh, no. I don't think that was part of the marriage contract your father signed. I'm pretty sure Drago wanted an obedient little housewife for me that he could order around and have as his best spy. So considering that, I'd say you're actually pretty bad at following your job descriptions."

Astrid flicked his ear. "Obedient little housewife, huh?"

"Hmm-mmh."

"If that's the case, then we'll have to just write a new contract. One that doesn't include such ridiculous shit."

"You'll have to marry me again for that."

"Was that a proposal?"

Hiccup laughed. "We're already married, love. We're having a baby. I didn't think I'd _need_ to propose to get to marry you viking-style. Didn't we agree on that already on Snoggletog?"

Astrid snorted. "Yeah, we did. But that doesn't make it official." Her smile slipped as she remembered something else why they should have another wedding. One including his real name and with no secrecy and deception surrounding it. One they weren't forced to.

The Council of Berk doubted the legitimacy of her marriage. Spitelout was still pressuring her into pleading exactly that so that he could marry her off to Snotlout. As far as Berk was concerned, her child would be considered illegitimate.

"What is it?" Hiccup reached up to cup her cheek in his calloused hand.

"There's something else I need to tell you," she said. It wasn't the moment, but it was. It wasn't good to postpone this any further. "I don't think you're gonna like this one."

"Astrid," he said. "Tell me."

"It's Spitelout," she sighed. "He… convinced the Council that our marriage isn't legitimate because I told them that you aren't — in fact — called Horren Bludvist and that you have no sympathy towards him. I… told them that you never took on the name Bludvist, but that it was the name used during the wedding ceremony."

Hiccup's brows furrowed and he sat back up with more effort than it should take him. His expression was dark when he asked for her to go on. She told him everything of his uncle's intentions. He looked ready to leap out the window and rip Spitelout a new one. His fists clenched so tight the knuckles turned white, the muscles shaking from the tension in them.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"I—" he cut himself off, jaw pulled taunt. It was visible how he forced himself to calm down, though the storm in his eyes remained. He let out a humourless laugh. "Of course things can't — for once — be easy. No, why would they? It's obvious that the gods are way too entertained by all _this._ " He gestured downstairs in a wide arc and Astrid knew what he meant. "And of course Spitelout had to—" Hiccup groaned and pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes.

"You said he gave you a deadline?" he mumbled after a moment.

"Yes," Astrid said. "It… actually passed the day before yesterday. But I guess what with everything that's been going on, I doubt anyone really cared for shipping me off to Outcast. If all goes to Helheim, they'll probably rather execute us both."

"I won't let that happen. I— I don't know _how_ , but I won't let anything happen to you."

Astrid took his hand, holding onto him. "And neither will I."

=0=

Gothi had given them the okay to leave the bed. When she had visited, Hiccup had donned the mask once more, but the old healer quickly made it clear that she saw right through it and was more annoyed by it than anything else. Though once he'd taken it off, he wished he hadn't. Gothi's staff whacked against his skull, her beat not lacking any strength despite her age and fragile look. Gothi was a force to be reckoned with and she was clearly upset that he'd been prowling the Archipelago while the village was mourning him.

With Gothi that made two people — aside of Astrid — knowing about him. It was at once both unsettling and relieving to have his secret known. It didn't settle the dread of having the whole village — or worse, his father — know, though.

He was clean again, hair still a little damp and his jaw free of the stubble. Astrid had also insisted on cutting his hair while they were at it. It was shorter, but not short enough for her not to twist a tiny braid or two behind his right ear. Or maybe she had just left those strands a little longer on purpose; Hiccup didn't know. While he wasn't particularly a big fan of them, he never took them out when she twisted them into place and the weeks without them had been… weird. Because despite not really liking them, Hiccup had still missed them and what they stood for. The braids' absence had been yet another reminder of _Astrid's_ absence.

Hiccup stood at the window of the bedroom giving view to the forest. For once, it was a rather beautiful day on Berk, with the sun shining overhead and only big floofy white clouds travelling across the sky. It was the perfect weather for a long flight. Or would be if Toothless weren't held in the Kill Ring and Hiccup wasn't under unofficial house arrest and had a stitched side. But at least he could walk Astrid's small house and wasn't tied to the bed anymore.

It was strange, though. He had not been in the Hofferson house since he was a small child when they'd all still been friends. He didn't remember much of the interior of the houses Astrid had grown up in — plural, because no house on Berk remained standing for long with the dragon raids. But he did remember that it was not as small as this one. It felt like an entirely different household despite standing solidly on Hofferson ground. And it looked like Astrid had never made the effort to make this house more into a home. Like she didn't see the point in it.

Back in the Bludvist manor, Astrid had turned their little part of the East Wing into a cozy, homely place faster than Hiccup had been able to grasp. She had a good eye for decorating and placing furniture _just_ right; one wouldn't think that when looking at the fierce warrior she was. Astrid and Valka had spent a small fortune on covering Drago's rooms in pink plush at the beginning of the last winter; and while the colour-explosion had hurt his eyes, the overall assembly of it was done with finesse.

To see the small house here on Berk bare, completely void of any personal touch to it, it tugged on his heart. His wife had dreamed of building a life together once away from Drago; a homely house they could call their own, a family they could call their own, a future they could call their own. Right now, though, the house was not feeling like theirs, but just a place to sleep and eat at. Their unborn child would be considered illegitimate by some and would be born into exactly the world they hadn't wanted to raise a child in. And their future was going to be determined by others.

Hiccup needed to change that. All of it. And if he was going to be thrown into incredibly impossible, and highly uncomfortable situations to do so, then so be it. He had already taken a dagger to his skin just to _find_ his wife. But he was willing to do whatever it takes to give her the life she deserved.

"Gobber, wait!" Astrid called from outside and the next moment the door downstairs burst open. A set of mismatched steps _thud-thunked_ , followed by the even ones.

"I've waited long enough, lass," Gobber said and Hiccup could practically see him shaking his hooked arm at Astrid despite being a floor above. "I'm done waitin' and ye promised me!"

"At least let me—"

"Och, I think I heard Brunhild callin' fer ya."

"Gobber…"

"Off ye go, we'll be fine."

There was a moment of silence and then the even steps retreated and the door fell shut with a loud _bang_ of Astrid leaving the house, clearly not happy.

The mismatched steps started up the stairs and momentarily, Hiccup was frozen in place. Gobber. He hadn't seen his mentor and uncle-of-sorts in nearly six years. Next to his father, Gobber had been the person Hiccup had missed the most and was also the most afraid to see again. He could take the harsh judgement of the village anytime, had done so daily before leaving. But the judgement of Gobber was something he'd never be prepared for, never be ready for. He was trembling like a leave in the wind by the time the old master-blacksmith pushed away the fur curtain. Hiccup saw his burly shape out of the corner of his eyes and didn't dare turn. His knuckles were white from gripping the windowsill for dear life, heart in his throat.

"Lad," Gobber said, voice unlike any tone Hiccup was accustomed with from his mentor. Gobber was brash, loud, honest with no filter, and the one to teach Hiccup how to properly use sarcasm. He was sailor-tongued and ill-fitting sense of humour, inappropriate jokes and awfully off-key singing. But Gobber was not — at least not that Hiccup could recollect — a man openly showing his sensitive side, not even to Hiccup. It made it even more impossible to turn around. "Thor almighty, have ye lost yer manners along with yer mind or why is yer back the first thing I see of ye after so long?"

Hiccup winced, shoulders drawn up to his ears. As if that could make him smaller, let him go unnoticed when he had not only been noticed but also recognised. He should've known that not even a clever mask could fool Gobber.

Chin tucked to his chest, Hiccup slowly turned. Suddenly, he was fourteen years old again, being chastised for the umpteenth time for wreaking half the village with no captured dragon to make up for it. Only that now he didn't have his sass and snark to cover him because this was Gobber lacing emotions into his words and everything felt just too raw. Throwing salt into the wound would only make this harder.

It wasn't like with Ruffnut where there had been a short awkward moment and an inside-joke between her and Astrid. That had been relatively easy to handle. He'd take that over this right here anytime. Because he knew exactly how much grief and sorrow he had caused Gobber, had heard from Astrid how the ever-cheerful blacksmith had retreated into himself and become just a shadow of himself. Gobber and Stoick, both, she'd said. And all because he had been too much of a coward to leave behind a note before he left.

Hiccup opened his mouth to say something while still avoiding looking at the probably angry and disappointed and hurt scowl on Gobber's face. No words came out. He closed it again, swallowing hard and wrapping his arms around himself because he didn't know what else to do with them.

"My," Gobber said and nothing else. It was an outlet of breath more than a properly articulated word, really. "My," he repeated even softer, barely audible as the floorboards creaked underneath him. Hiccup realised Gobber was moving toward him just a moment before Gobber was right in front of him, hand and hook hanging midair.

Hiccup wearily looked up. He had grown over a foot and still he was a good bit shorter than the blacksmith. It made him feel infinitely small. But to his surprise, neither anger, nor disappointment were present on Gobber's face, only some sort of heartbreak that Hiccup couldn't place with his own emotions thudding in his throat. Or maybe his heart was just trying to beat in time with a bee's wings; fast enough that the rhythm itself was lost. Maybe his heart would give out prematurely because of all the stress he was putting it under lately.

The moment stretched out to infinity, lasting for the duration of a breath but so slowly that time seemed to still. Then it rocked all back into motion so abruptly that the breath was knocked out of him.

 _Oh_.

His mind had still been in slow-motion while Gobber wasn't anymore and the breath had left him because suddenly his lungs were being squeezed too tight. Gobber had the smell of fire and metal clinging to him, the forge burned into him, but also the smell of going to long between baths; a habit much to the chagrin of everyone coming near him, but also one Gobber was unmovable to change.

It took Hiccup another moment to realise that Gobber wasn't — in fact — trying to squeeze the life out of him, but that this was one of the rare hugs Gobber gave. He wasn't sure if he should return it. But then he noticed that his arms were still clinging to himself and Gobber's strong hold prevented any movement. He couldn't move if he wanted to.

Eventually, what little had remained of his breath ran out and he weakly tried to get his mentor's attention. "Gobber," he wheezed. "Can't— breathe."

Gobber released him immediately, grinning from ear to ear while Hiccup gasped to get air back into him. "Heh, took ye longer than it used ta." Gobber grasped him by the shoulder and steadied him. Hiccup was vaguely aware that his injury had been protesting the whole thing even more than his lungs. Ruffnut was gonna bite his head off if the stitches had so much as just gotten moved a bit.

"What—" Hiccup started and broke himself off.

"Ye didnae really think ye could fool me, now did ye, lad?" Gobber patted his shoulder. There was a twinkle in his eyes.

"I… How did you figure it out?"

"Ya shouldnae have left yer signature on Astrid's axe fer starters," Gobber said, "but besides that? I taught ye ta smith, don' think I wouldnae recognise yer craftmanship when I see it. Yer technique's gotten sloppy, by the way." Gobber sighed heavily. "I didnae want ta believe it at first, but… here ye are." Gobber stepped back and looked Hiccup over. "Alive an' all grown up."

Hiccup swallowed down a lump in his throat. "I'm so sorry, Gobber. I'm sorry for letting you believe I was dead."

"Aye, tha' wasnae nice, lad. An' give me a little while an' I'll be stinkin' mad at ye fer tha'. Right now I'm just glad. But… yer not sorry fer leaving?"

Now it was Hiccup's turn to sigh. He looked off to the side. "I… No. I couldn't have stayed and gone through with… killing the Nightmare. Not with… everything I already knew. And—and I also couldn't stay and endanger Toothless— uh, the Night Fury. That I— shot down."

"Aye, I know."

"You do?"

Gobber nodded. "Yer wife told me quite a bit already. But I think there's still a lot ye need ta tell me, isnae there?" Gobber sank down on the bed and patted the spot next to him. "How 'bout ye tell me how in Helheim ye ended up with Bludvist, eh?"

=0=

The ice caverns of the Sanctuary up north dunked the whole place in a frosty shade of blue, increasing the feeling of coldness seeping right into your bones no matter how many layers of clothes you wore. Valka was used to it, though. She had spent the better part of twenty years here and never had there been a day too cold for her to get up and fly with the icy winds whipping at her face. She only wore the wooden armour and mask to ensure no man accidentally wandering too far north would notice the woman among the dragons. It was a precaution, not a means to ward off the cold.

The Sanctuary felt different to how she had left it. Perhaps that was because she was again a different woman than she had been then. Or perhaps because she had finally ditched the invisible mask she had worn around her son. Either way, it felt different, but still like her home. Neither Berk nor Greuelorm had ever come close to this.

It had taken a lot of convincing to get her husband to release Cloudjumper. Her dragon had never been a real prisoner in the dungeons under the town, but Drago had been wary ever since Hiccup's escape. She couldn't blame her son for fleeing with his friends, but she also couldn't blame her husband for trying everything to keep the young man where they needed him. Drago had only reluctantly let her go to search the north.

He shouldn't be so paranoid. As long as Valka hadn't gotten what she wanted — what she had plotted for since the day Cloudjumper had taken her — she wouldn't abandon his side.

Valka made her way through the wide-spread tunnels, making sure to follow the paths she knew were safe to tread. After a while, she found herself in the caverns she had been living in for years. There were still remains of that life littered throughout the space. Clothes that had been hung to dry, bowls of knocked-over foods that were long since rotten, the occasional piece of paper scattered the floor, covered in Hiccup's drawings. He had only lived here with her for a couple of months before she had led them to the mainland, but his spirit had left a heavy impression on the place. He'd only just turned fifteen when she'd found him again after so long. Or maybe he had found her.

But although there were signs of a life lived here, waiting to be picked up again, none of them were recent enough.

Hiccup hadn't gone here with his friends and his wife.

Valka huffed in frustration. The whole journey for naught.

There weren't many islands in the Archipelago you could hide both a Night Fury, a Deadly Nadder and four runaways on without anyone noticing or Cloudjumper spotting them from above. And talk about a Night Fury would've made its round through the Archipelago already. The chance that they had gone south to the territory of other cultures was highly unlikely. Valka wasn't oblivious to the fact that her daughter-in-law wouldn't want to stray that far from her home-isle.

They must be on Berk, then.

It was a shame that Valka couldn't go there. Not even _near_ there without being spotted. A Stormcutter over Berkian waters would be just as conspicuous as a Night Fury. She'd have to get her confirmation elsewhere then. But first, she needed to pay her King a visit.

The dragons of the Sanctuary mostly recognised her immediately and a few hobbled up to her, yearning for scratches and cuddles and all the attention she hadn't been able to give them in nearly five years. It was refreshing, only being in the company of these gentle and intelligent creatures. Many of them she had nursed back to health after freeing them from brutal traps, making sure they would survive even without her and were always under the protection of the King of all dragons. No dragon deserved to suffer just because Drago's providers and other independent hunters didn't care for the wellbeing of the dragons when catching them.

And soon enough, if Valka had played all her cards right, no dragon in the Northern Seas would have to suffer such ill-treatment _at all_ anymore.

Every nest had their queen and there were quite a few of them scattered throughout the Archipelago. Here, in the Sanctuary, was the King of the North, her Bewilderbeast. And once she was through with Drago and had taught the Vikings a lesson or two, Valka would be called the Empress of them all.

She wasn't their master like Drago sometimes liked to refer to himself as. She wasn't going to control them against their will. But she would protect them and the humans would fear her, not daring to rise against her and defy her rule.

But first, she needed to apparently drag her daft son back to her side by his ear. She hadn't gone through years of trouble only for him to put a cross through all of it now when he couldn't even begin to understand what he had stumbled into when he'd moved in with her in the Sanctuary and agreed to help her free the dragons. Of course, he had been a naive young boy back then and now he was a young man with a wife and loyal friends at his beck and call. But he was still her son and she needed him back at her side.

It had been easier staying out of Hiccup's life when he had only been a babe when she'd last seen him. Crying and wiggling in his little cradle with a fresh cut on his chin. She hadn't really known her son, then. He had been an innocent little thing she had carried out, given birth to, and cared for with all her heart. Getting to know him later on — with his personality fully developed and a sharp tongue that landed him in trouble more often than not — was wholly different. Getting to see your child grow up into a young man and then staying away was much harder.

That didn't change the fact though that Valka was mad at her son for planning to leave in the first place. She had thought with the arrest he would be around when she needed him. But then his good-for-nothing friends had to go and help him escape the dungeon. Valka had suggested they just put him under house-arrest in the manor-house, but of course her husband hadn't listened and now she had to go on a goose-chase for her son. Ridiculous, really. Keeping him under house-arrest would've allowed Valka to talk reason back into Hiccup. But the dungeons were the one place in Greuelorm she had only ever visited once and couldn't bring herself to visit another time; not even for Hiccup.

Maybe she shouldn't have spun such a dramatic tale around him as well. It had seemed a good enough thing to do to keep him in town, but the dungeons were a harsh place, especially for someone accused of treason. Making the guards and Ryker and Viggo believe the ruse had been easy, really, and a faster thing than making up a new story if she could just add upon the one they already believed.

Horren Bludvist was Drago's flesh and blood; that's what the town had believed Hiccup to be when she'd brought him there. They accepted him as Drago's son and only the Bludvist family themselves knew he was not. Hiccup had never seemed to notice that they didn't treat him as merely Drago's _step_ son but the legitimate heir to Drago.

Twisting the tale so that Hiccup became an impostor instead made sense for many as well. Because the young man didn't resemble his supposed father at all. That he did take a lot after Valka had not bothered anyone. He could've been a distant relative of hers for all they knew.

And the only reason everyone believed any of it in the first place was because of the baby boy she'd had when she took residence in Greuelorm for the first time.

A nudge to her side brought her back into the present. Dwelling in the past wasn't a pleasurable thing to do. And the dragons were still excited for her attention.

She slowly made her way through them, gifting them with scratches and cuddles and checks on various injuries. She catalogued them away mentally with a note to treat them later when she found the time to brew a healing-pasture. But eventually, she stood in front of the Bewilderbeast.

Usually, she'd greet the King of Dragons from the cliff above her. But she'd been absent from the Sanctuary long enough that it only felt appropriate to make herself as small and low as possible in front of him. She knelt, head bowed down while she noticed the King's eyes on her. There was the sound of a mountain shifting, the earth rattling as he rose. And then the icy breath hit her gently.

Her breath left Valka in a relieved laugh. She was forgiven for staying away so long. It was the King's way of saying ' _welcome back home_ '.

Valka only rose, once the gentle giant had settled back down in his pool of water. She didn't mind the waves she was inevitably sloshed with. The dragons would gladly light their flames for her to heat back up.

Cloudjumper was right beside her when she made her way back up, gently taking her in his claws and carrying her up to the living-area with just a few beats of his wings.

"Thank you," she told the intelligent dragon as he sat her down. She allowed him to press his owlish-face to hers. A gesture of affection that she leaned into gladly. It had been too long that she could just interact with her dragon companion without disapproving looks from the guards back on the mainland. It had been hard going of flights for the past few years without her son noticing that Cloudjumper wasn't actually held captive by Drago.

She had been playing games of deception with the people in her life for too long, Valka noticed then. Maybe, if she had just been open to Hiccup — who was probably the only one really capable of understanding her intentions — things would've turned out differently. But her son still believed that the Vikings weren't inherently bad people and that he and Valka technically were Vikings as well, considering their ancestry. For Valka, though, ancestry never played an important part in identifying herself. She wasn't a Viking because Vikings killed her beloved dragons without reason. She had tried all her life on Berk to convince them not to fight the dragons and instead show them compassion for once. Not once had they listened and the bloodshed continued on and on and on and on. She would change that once and for all.

And for that to happen, she first needed Drago to get them all under his control so she would have no trouble taking over.

Valka stayed at the Sanctuary a little while longer than she had originally planned. It was refreshing being here and the dragons were way better company than her husband or any of the people in Greuelorm. Sure, she couldn't hold conversations with them, but over the long years that she had lived in the Sanctuary among them, she had learnt another way of communicating and interacting with them. She already dreaded going back and putting on the facade of Lady Bludvist for the town. She had never been particularly good at social interactions even on Berk, but Greuelorm was all formalities for her and behaving in a way that demanded respect just by taking a quick glance at her. It was tiring and she couldn't wait for the day she got to truly be herself in every situation and not care about the thought and opinions of others. Once she took over, she would be respected no matter her attire or her behaviour; she'd be respected because she was the one bringing peace to the dragons and the Vikings by separating them once and for all.

Departing from the Sanctuary was always hard. But she knew she would be back sooner than the last time she had left.

Cloudjumper carried her over the vast seas until the ice retreated from the landmasses and the wind was a little gentler. On their way across the Archipelago, Valka made sure to cover as many of the islands as possible again, just in case she may have missed her son and his Night Fury on her journey to the Sanctuary. When she still found no sign of either of them, nor the others surely accompanying them, Valka went for a different approach. She sought out the brightest sails of the trading vessels, looking for that one man that would be able to answer her the questions she had.

Johann had already bee a Trader well known in the Archipelago before Valka had been taken by Cloudjumper. Back then, she had found the man awfully annoying, but was still intrigued by the tales he told. Of course she knew that there was no way any of them could be true, that most of him was a ruse, a facade to hide his ulterior motives behind. But he had come to their island too infrequently to be any real threat. Or so she had thought until she met him again in Greuelorm as her new husband's brother. And she had been right. The face he wore as Trader Johann was just a shadow of who he really was as Johann Bludvist, master spy and confidante to Drago.

She spotted his sails the next day on the outer rims of the Archipelago. Valka asked Cloudjumper to land on the ship's deck without much preamble, not caring whether Johann had seen them coming or would jump in surprise. It turned out that he had still been sleeping below deck when Cloudjumper touched down none too gently and the ship shook violently. He was too big a dragon to remain long on the ship, but the break would do him good. Immediately after Valka had slid from his back, the owlish dragon jumped up and circled low above the sea, hunting for fish.

"Johann!" she yelled and after, after a moment, the called upon man stumbled out of the cabin, holding his head and looking sour as Valka rarely saw him.

"Dear Odin above, this is not the hour for throwing me out of my sleep! And I mean that quite _literally_."

Valka raised a brow at him. "It's not my problem if you decide to sleep well into the afternoon."

He looked up then and dropped his hand from his head. She noticed his swollen nose, clearly broken. Maybe he had run into a mast. "Valka." His tone was frosty as the northern winds. He didn't particularly like her and she didn't particularly care either way since the feeling was quite mutual. "What a pleasant surprise." The way he said it — completely level and with dipped eyebrows and his mouth curved downward — made it quite clear that he was not at all pleased by her showing up on his ship.

Valka ignored him and went straight to the point of her presence. "Where did you bring Astrid?"

She hadn't thought it possible for her brother-in-laws brows to dip further, but they did. "Why is that suddenly of such importance for everyone? Drago asked me to bring her away on _your_ recommendation. I did exactly that."

"Yes, but _where_ did you bring her, Johann?"

"Berk!" the false trader exclaimed theatrically and threw his arms up. "Where else would I bring her? You yourself said that it would be the last place your son would willingly go to."

He was not telling her something, Valka could tell from the slightest change in the pitch of his voice. He may be a master of deception and lies, but he seemed to have forgotten that she also wasn't new to that game.

Valka scowled. "Well, since I can't find my son anywhere else, I assume he came asking for his brat of a wife, too?"

"Yes," Johann said with a roll of his eyes. "A couple days ago, actually. He threatened to do unspeakable things to me should I refuse to tell him. Did you know he has a surprisingly good right hook? Or that he is skilled with a sword?" He ripped the hem of his ridiculous tunic up and exposed a bandage around his stomach, dots of read having seeped through. "Because I didn't," he seethed.

Valka regarded the man in front of her. So his broken nose must also be of her son's making and not from Johann stumbling into a mast. She knew, of course, that Hiccup had gotten good at swordplay and hand-to-hand combat from all the hours of training Eret had pulled him through all the time. He was often underestimated due to his slim built. The only thing that surprised Valka was the ruthlessness Hiccup had apparently shown when confronting Johann.

"If you expect sympathy or pity, you are looking at the wrong person," Valka told Johann. "What did you tell him?"

"I didn't have to _tell_ him anything. He somehow worked it out himself." There was a bitterness in Johann's words at being bested by the young man. "I knew he's a bright boy. But you could've warned me that he's probably as cunning as Viggo."

"If you hadn't that figured out yourself that I don't know why you're still Drago's spy-master," Valka turned away and whistled for Cloudjumper.

So Hiccup and his friends were really on Berk, it seemed. The one place she couldn't just appear at to take him back to Greuelorm. It was a pity and Drago wouldn't be pleased with this development of things. He had been about to send her out with the new orders for his army. But with Hiccup and Astrid both on Berk there was no way that they hadn't already given Stoick every information on Drago they had. Possibly even on her. Striking now could already be too late to have the element of surprise on their side.

A part of Valka wished to return to Berk and reunite with her fist husband. But that part of her wasn't big enough to win over the desire to keep the dragons safe and make the Archipelago a safe-haven for them.

"You might be already too late," Johann yelled after her and she turned back to him, startled.

"Excuse me?"

"If you go after Hiccup," he clarified and her confusion only grew.

"Johann, talk in proper sentences or don't talk at all."

"After he'd gotten the confirmation he wanted, he immediately jumped back on his dragon. He didn't even check to see if I had any weapons left. And you know how much I _hate_ being bested. Especially by some arrogant brat like him," Johann spat out.

Valka's nostrils flared and she advanced on the smaller man. "What have you done to my son?" she demanded. Maybe she should get the dagger from her thigh and threaten Johann with it as he deserved. But it wasn't her style to threaten with weapons.

Johann had the audacity to smirk proudly at her and her hand twitched. Maybe a slap would do him good. "I let him go with a dagger to his side. If he made it to Berk in time, he'll be lucky. But I doubt even a Night Fury can fly that fast with a mangled tail and a barely conscious rider."

Valka did slap him then, but sadly the vile smirk didn't disappear. "If I find that you've killed my son for _pettiness_ I'll destroy you. Bit by bit. Drago won't be able to distinguish the pieces of you for a proper burial when I'm done."

"I'll take my chances," Johann said and then walked away, back down to his cabin. "Send my brother my regards. I pity him every day that he's stuck with a wife like you."

Valka growled and climbed onto Cloudjumper's back seething with anger. If they didn't need Johann to spy for them and gather information everywhere he could, he'd be a dead man by now. She longed to have Cloudjumper set the ship aflame right then and there just for even daring to touch her son.

But instead, she just let Cloudjumper carry her back to the mainland where her husband was readying his ships and would be setting out for the Archipelago any day now.

 **A/N:**

Well, I'm not gonna say much and just let that last part speak for itself, yeah? Good.

Thank you all for your lovely reviews, they were — like always — the highlight of my day whenever I noticed a new one coming in! So thank you for your ongoing support and love!

Anyway, since I wanted to make this short, this is where I'll leave you at and go back to figuring out my plot and how to stitch up all the plot holes I've written myself into (if you go back looking for continuity errors you'll surely find a lot, trust me. I now know why plotting and first drafts are a thing… the more you know, right?)

So, until the next one!


	27. Questions and Suspicions

There was so much Gobber hadn't known even though he knew more than Stoick. There were things he wished he could unknow because they felt wrong and not like the truth at all.

But his former apprentice would never lie to him while laying his soul bare.

Hiccup had told him of the six years that the young man had been absent and all that he had encountered during that time. Clipped short and condensed, of course, since they didn't have the time to spend endless hours pondering the past. They were lucky to get the small time they'd had before Gobber needed to return to his forge and his new apprentice.

Not only was Hiccup alive and well and had grown into a fine young man, but his mother was alive and well, too.

Those news had come like a blow to the gut.

Valka had been a close friend of his and Gobber had spent years building Stoick back up after she had been taken by that dragon. All of them had seen it and all of them had though she'd ended up as the dragon's next meal.

Apparently she hadn't just as much as her son hadn't.

Twenty years.

Valka had been gone for twenty years and now she was with Drago Bludvist — Berk's worst enemy — and was the reason why Hiccup had had to suffer years under the man's roof. Gobber couldn't wrap his head around it.

The woman Hiccup had described at once matched Valka perfectly while she couldn't be farther from the woman Gobber had once known. The woman that his best friend had married.

Odin's balls; Stoick would have to learn about all of this at one point, too.

Gobber hammered away on his anvil, the task mindless enough. Stina — Silent Sven's daughter and his new apprentice — busied herself with polishing whichever weapon Gobber handed her. She was a quiet lass, but meticulous about her work. She didn't mouth off often, and when she did Gobber had learnt to best just give her some space so that the young girl could work out with herself whatever was eating away at her.

It was far from the merry companionship Hiccup had provided with his dry sarcasm and sharp wit. But that didn't mean that Gobber wasn't glad for the lass helping him and learning about his craft. She still had a long way to go, but she was setting a steady learning pace and he appreciated that.

For just a moment Gobber had thought that Hiccup could come back to the forge and help out. But then he remembered that the lad currently had vastly different problems than coming to take up his old work in the forge. It would be a wonder if — once everything came to the surface — Hiccup and Astrid would be allowed to stay on Berk.

The two of them had unwittingly made a bunch of enemies here and those enemies didn't even know the half of it.

Gobber sighed and put the repaired sword aside which Stina immediately picked up to polish. He looked at her for a moment.

Stina was a fine lass. Old enough that she'd already been on the fire brigade when Gobber had asked her if she wanted to apprentice with him. But she was still a few years from going into dragon training. Maybe she would never get there at all. Who knew what the future might hold. Gobber just hoped she wouldn't have to learn to fight dragons because the raids would finally stop and not because the war on the horizon took her away prematurely.

"You're looking at me like I'm gonna run off when you look away," the lass said without looking up from her work. She sat cross-legged on the workbench, smudges on her face and carrot hair sticking out in all directions.

"I've lost one apprentice," Gobber replied and picked up the next item needing mending. "Just don't intend to loose another one 's all."

The lass nodded. "Is it because of the man and the Night Fury? Hiccup got taken by a Night Fury, didn't he? Maybe it's the same one."

Gobber stilled mid-motion. Stina had hit the nail on the head without even looking. Her quiet observations were a rather unsettling trait of hers.

"It's okay, Gobber," she said and finally looked up. There was knowledge hidden in her grey-green eyes that ran deeper than most would suspect from the daughter of Silent Sven. "I'm not gonna tell anyone. But he maybe wants to come and get the sketchbook I found before someone else finds it."

Gobber swore soundly in a way that really wasn't appropriate for a twelve-year old to witness. He dug around the pile of weapons to mend and found a knife that he knew belonged to Astrid. He sharpened it and passed it to Stina. "Go bring that to Astrid. And while you're there you drop off everything you found that could… I don' know, compromise things."

Stina eyed him for a moment, then hopped off the workbench and went to the backroom of the forge that she was slowly claiming for herself. She came back out with a satchel full of things she must've found where no one had bothered to look before. Helheim, Gobber honestly didn't even want to know _what_ she had found, he only cared that it got out of the forge and quickly back to its original owner. He shooed her out into the streets. When she was skipping through the alleys, Gobber sunk down on a stool and rubbed his head with his one remaining hand.

"Ye couldnae've made things easy, couldn't ye, lad?" he mumbled to himself.

Gobber would need to go inform the Chief that Astrid's husband had finally woken up. The council was getting antsy to interrogate him and Astrid had stalled long enough. There was no hiding for much longer that he was awake. But that would have to wait until evening since he had work to do and Stoick was out somewhere around the island anyway.

When talking to Hiccup, Gobber had suggested the young man tell his father the truth right away and not continue hiding behind that mask of his and a false name. But stubborn as he was, Hiccup had refused and said that things were difficult enough for his father to deal with as it was. He didn't want to burden his father with this as well yet.

Gobber had to agree with him to some extend. Stoick had suffered under the loss of his son for years and only recently come to terms with the loss of his son. To now learn that his son wasn't dead and instead had been riding a bloody Night Fury around the Archipelago, it would rip open old wounds and spray salt in the scratches created when Astrid had come bearing with the news of Drago on the horizon and Hiccup and his Night Fury had come crashing down in the village. It was all a bit much at once and even Gobber was left breathless by all of this.

Aye, things would not quiet down any time soon on their tiny wet rock in the ocean. And Gobber prayed to the gods that those he loved would come out well when all this was over. All of them deserved closure and happiness.

=0=

Hiccup had still been awake when the raid horn sounded. Being confined to the small house left him restless and usually unable to find sleep until well into the night. And tonight had not been any different.

Astrid lay curled into his side and half on top of him so that they fit into the narrow bed together since he refused to let her sleep on the floor and she refused to let him sleep on the floor. Not that he would ever mind having his wife this close to him every night and waking up with tangled limbs.

The only thing making their situation not as comfortable as it should be was the wound at his side that still restricted his range of movement. And also their intimacy.

Astrid jerked awake the moment the raid horn sounded across the village. For just a moment, her eyes were frantic and she was already halfway up before he caught her wrist.

Their eyes met and Hiccup saw the pain and dread behind his wife's blue ones.

"Please be careful," he told her and got up as well. He let her go a moment later and she immediately tugged on another layer of clothes.

Hiccup helped her fix her pauldrons and armwrappings, retrieving her axe while she tugged on her boots. He could already hear the flapping of wings like a small army approaching.

Astrid hesitated going down the stairs to enter the streets of Berk that would soon enough turn into a battlefield. He'd rather not think about it but that was hard when his wife would be out there as well while he would stay inside. It had been a long while that he'd felt this useless.

"I wish I wouldn't have to," she said and he kissed her.

It wasn't a kiss-goodbye, it was a kiss-good-luck and be-safe.

"Go," he said and nudged her to the fight awaiting her. He understood her hesitancy.

She would go out to fight the creatures they both loved so dearly, would probably have to kill one or two just to keep the village safe. It pained him to think about it, but he knew it pained her as well. At least those dragons would die somewhat justified when they fell victim to her axe.

The dragons he had killed on Drago's orders had died for nothing at all. He couldn't judge survival with those memories still haunting him.

Astrid disappeared out into the night while Hiccup donned his mask and made himself watch from the window.

Everything inside of him screamed to go out as well and stop the fighting. He wanted to protect the dragons. He wanted to protect the village. He wanted to fly in on Toothless and end the raid before it even really began. But he knew that he would be thrown into jail the moment he set foot outside. He couldn't risk that just as he couldn't risk joining a fight while still affected by his injury. It was still too fresh a wound for him to join the fight. He'd only manage to rip it open and risk Gothi's and Ruff's wrath. As well as Astrid's.

So he stood by the window and observed. Because something definitely wasn't right about those dragons. Their eyes were all wrong and their aggressive and offensive behaviour was nothing natural. He could see in the eyes of a Nightmare flying by that it wanted this fight as much as the Vikings on the ground did; which was not at all.

Neither side wanted this.

Something was making them.

All of their eyes were slitted and hostile, unintelligent at first glace and so unlike what he'd come to experience outside of the Archipelago. Hiccup could count off on one hand the times Toothless' eyes were slitted for an extended period of time. It was bizarre seeing an entire onslaught of dragons like this for the entirety of the raid.

But after some time, the dragons collectively took off again with their meagre prices they had been able to collect from the furious village. Still, Hiccup knew that every bit of resources were direly needed on Berk to feed the populace. That Berk's people had been able to survive as long as they did was a wonder in and of itself.

Watching the dragons leave from his vantage point and with the different perspective — gained from years with Toothless — was making him certain that there was some kind of bigger force behind the raids. Maybe something like the Bewilderbeast up north at the Sanctuary. Just that the King of dragons was a benevolent creature and had other means of collecting food for his dragons than sending them into battle every other night.

Six years ago — when he had just left Berk with Toothless — Hiccup had wanted to find the Nest of the dragons plaguing his village. But Toothless had never let them steer near enough to get any of the answers Hiccup sought. Eventually, Hiccup had relented and let the Night Fury navigate them elsewhere. Shortly after, Valka had found them. She, too, had not been inclined to find out about the origin of the raids nor do anything against them. And being the naive kid he'd been who'd just found out that his mother was a dragon saving vigilante, Hiccup hadn't pursued it further and eventually let this whole problem slip from his mind as he was no longer really affected by it.

Now, standing in the shadows of Astrid's window and seeing the aftermath of this night's battle, he wanted to kick himself thrice over for not having done anything sooner. For not having tried harder to find out what caused all this unnecessary bloodshed on both sides.

So much death. There was so much death staining the soil on Berk. Dragon and Viking alike.

One of the villagers had been burned to death, he noticed horrified. He had grown up with sights like this. But six years of absence had made him forget most of it. Now, the reality of the dragon raids came back punching him smack-dab in the face and gut at once.

Another family had lost someone dear to them.

When Astrid finally came back inside, Hiccup rushed down the stairs, not caring any longer that the door wasn't fully closed behind her yet and that people might see him up and about and without the mask the had long since thrown angrily into a dark corner.

His wife's face was covered in soot and grime, ashes dusted her hair, and there was decidedly too much dark blood stuck to her. Her axe clattered to the floor as he engulfed her in a tight embrace, intending to not let go of her for a good while. Hiccup didn't know who of them was shaking more as her arms gripped him like a life-line.

"Are you hurt?", he mumbled into her hair. She shook her head.

"Not my blood." She didn't need to say whose blood it was. They both knew who she had actively defended and which side of the fight had bled on her axe.

He was reminded again of all those times Drago had taken him dragon hunting in the forests of the mainland. All those dragons that had bled on his own blade for no other reason than displeasing Drago. He had always been sick to his stomach and put out for days after events like that.

This was different.

Hiccup knew that — even if he had helped defend the village, had slain a dragon tonight — it was completely different. But nonetheless upsetting and horrible.

But one situation was meaningless killing and the other was fighting for survival. One was justified and the other decidedly wasn't. One's cause had the face of a madman and the other none at all yet. Two different situations and yet the outcome was the same:

Death.

Death, injury and trauma.

Hiccup didn't remember how long they stood there, just holding onto each other. He also didn't remember getting back up to the bedroom, helping his wife wash off the battle. He only knew that Astrid was fast asleep in his arms, alive and well. He was curled around back, his hand resting against her stomach and praying that the little life inside was alive and well, too. He prayed to all the gods he knew.

They could do whatever they wanted with him. Anything. As long as they may protect his wife and his unborn child.

The next early morning opened with a bang. Hiccup shot up from his sleep, one hand over his racing heart and the other one pressed to his side as the sudden movement let pain shoot through his stitched wound. Astrid was already up and down the stairs by the time Hiccup got his senses together enough to get out of bed. He'd have preferred the bang just being a part of the restless dream he'd had. But apparently it had been the front door that was burst open.

Hiccup tugged his tunic over his head and collected his mask. Astrid was yelling.

"What in Thor's name is going o—" then her steps faltered and she stopped herself in the beginning of a tirade for being woken up so unruly twice in one night.

"Astrid."

Hiccup froze, eyes going wide.

That was his fathers voice. He'd heard him bellow across the town the last few days, had seen flashes of him through the buildings when he dared going near the windows during the day. But now — with Stoick the Vast just a storey underneath him — Hiccup's knees dared to give out.

"Good morning, Chief," Astrid said, voice caught between residue annoyance and respectful friendliness. "Is there… anything I can do for you? I didn't think cleaning up would start for a little while yet."

"I'm not here because of the cleaning up, lass," Stoick said.

Hiccup had to sit back down on the bed lest he fell down on his butt. So close. His father was so close and everything inside of Hiccup longed to just run downstairs and properly greet his father after _years_ of being gone. But his father still thought him dead and… that wasn't the way to go about this. Not during the aftermath of the raid and not without making sure Stoick was at least somewhat prepared for a revelation like that. Hiccup put his head in his hands and took a shaky breath.

"I've called in an emergency council meeting."

There was a beat of silence downstairs.

"Um, alright," Astrid said.

"I want you and your husband up in the Mead Hall at sunrise."

"I—"

"I know he's been awake for some time now and I gave both of you enough time. But I can't delay things further."

"Of course."

"Sunrise, Astrid." Those heavy steps of the Chief of Berk retreated back into the grey of the earliest hours of morning. "If you aren't there, I'll have to have you arrested." The door fell shut and it was once again only Hiccup and Astrid in the small house.

Astrid padded back up to him, a shawl thrown over her shoulders and hugged tight to herself. "You okay?" she asked as she considered him.

Hiccup opened his mouth to reassure her that he was. But wouldn't lie to her and he didn't know if he really was. Hearing his father so close brought back all the guilt over leaving Berk the way he had. Or just the general accumulated guilt he was carrying around with himself for the past six years but barely allowed himself to acknowledge.

"Not really," he eventually said. He reached out for her and pressed his face to her stomach as he circled his arms around her. Astrid raked her fingers through his hair, working out any small knots as she went.

Walking through the streets of Berk bordered on surreal. Most everyone was still fast asleep and left the village feeling abandoned. The aftermath of the raid tainted the streets and the ground they walked on to get to the Mead Hall. Hiccup felt sick to his stomach seeing so many butchered dragons. But it wasn't a sight he didn't know all to well.

He had grow up with this. Experienced this. Been right in the middle of the fighting before.

The difference now was that he couldn't stomach the reek of all the blood and gore anymore. It made him feel light headed and he was glad he hadn't eaten anything yet or his breakfast would've ended vomited up on the ground by now. The mask over his face didn't help matters at all. He lifted the reinforced leather just over his mouth to breath a little easier. Astrid squeezed his hand.

The steps up to the Meade Hall — that Hiccup had walked endless times as a boy — dragged on and on and Hiccup was left breathless once they'd reached the top. His side had been screaming at him to stop about a hundred steps ago. He had pushed on regardless.

"Ready to face the wolves?" Astrid asked, a little breathless and ashen around the nose herself. She had been sick just before they had left the house, cursing her morning sickness.

Hiccup shook his head. "Nope. Not at all." He reached for his mask, making sure it sat right and that his identity wouldn't be revealed when it wasn't the right moment for it. And being interrogated by the Council definitely counted as the wrong time.

The first rays of sun stretched over the horizon. Hiccup braced himself, took a rather shaky breath, and then pushed open the giant double-doors.

The council was already seated around the table at the far end of the Hall. The same men that had always sat in it were present, safe for the one addition. Snotlout sat right beside Stoick the Vast, taking up the seat of the Heir.

Hiccup's hands were shaking and he was glad when Astrid wove her fingers through his again. Her presence was the only thing holding him back from spinning on his heels and making a run for it. He needed to remind himself that he wouldn't be facing the council as a long lost member of the tribe, but a dragon riding stranger. To them he would only be Drago Bludvist's stepson. Not the son of the Chief.

 _It's better that way_ , he told himself. Revealing his identity now would only further complicate things and frankly? He wasn't ready yet to explain everything to his father just yet.

He knew he had caused his father tremendous grief — both Astrid and Gobber had told him as much. And there were some raw wounds on his side as well.

All those years that he hadn't been good enough for his father just because he wasn't as big and strong as the other kids. The constant down-putting in front of the whole village. Hiccup knew he hadn't been without fault back then, but his relationship with his father had not been the best when it became apparent that he wouldn't grow up to be a dragon killer.

Hiccup mentally shook those thoughts off and focused instead on the here and now. And that meant facing the council and their questions.

The council glared at him as he tentatively approached, Astrid by his side. A couple of dark glares flew her way as well, but most stayed on him. Thinking about it, it wasn't much different to the glares he had received on the regular back when.

But just because he was used to it, didn't mean it didn't sting or make him uncomfortable. Because it did and he was.

They came to a halt about six meter from the Council's table. Stoick stood up and Hiccup had almost forgotten what a mountain of a man his father was. Hiccup had grown a good lot during his time away, but still his father felt towering.

Drago was also a towering man; Hiccup briefly wondered which man would be taller when compared next to each other.

„Horren Bludvist," the Chief addressed him and it took Hiccup just a moment too long to realise he was talking to him. Hearing that fake name coming out of his father's mouth was just surreal. Hiccup inclined his head, afraid that if he talked, his voice wouldn't hold.

"You came to our island injured and seeking refuge. But you've also already committed an act considered treachery to the Vikings. Are you aware that you'll be — until further notice — be treated as an enemy of our island?"

Hiccup swallowed hard. He hoped his mask did enough to make his voice unrecognisable to the Council. "Yes, sir."

"Very well," Stoick said and sat back down. He gestured to the two empty seats at the table; the only ones on their side of the table. The whole council would sit facing them. Hiccup couldn't help but feel like a lamb to the slaughter as they sat down where they were told. He ended up not only directly opposite his father, but also with Snotlout and Spitelout just a table-breadth away.

Surreal. Surreal. Surreal.

"I'm correct assuming your wife already—" Stoick continued but was interrupted by his brother and second-in-comand.

"Wait, wait, wait," Spitelout said and leaned over the table. "That ridiculous mask. You'll need to take it off."

Hiccup froze. "I—uh-wh-why?"

"Because only cowards hide their faces," Spitelout said with a smug grin. "How can we be sure you are who you claim to be if you won't show your face."

"I… really do not see what my face has anything to do with your accusations against me. You didn't see my face when I and my dragon went down here; why is it now important?"

"It isnae," Gobber said, waving his hooked hand about in a dismissive way. "Ol' Spitelout here is jus' a wee bit prissy with strangers."

That earned him a laugh from the rest of the Council and for the moment the immense tension in the air seemed to deflate. Hiccup allowed himself to send a grateful look to his former mentor.

"As I was saying," the Chief eventually continued when the last chuckle had died down, "am I correct assuming that Astrid already briefed you on what this is about?"

"Only that you have questions regarding the dragons and whether I can control them," Hiccup said.

Stoick nodded. "Aye. As you could see last night, the dragon raids we're suffering from are pretty bad. But that's not the only thing this is about. You are the son of Drago Bludvist; Berk's enemy number one right behind the dragons. We'll need to figure out if you can be trusted."

"Well, for one," Hiccup said, "I am not Drago's son." This would be so much easier if he could just find the courage to take off his mask. "My mother married that man when I was fifteen. If anything, he's my stepfather, but… considering the circumstances under which I was imprisoned back on the mainland, I think Drago revoked that status as well."

Mulch — who was seated at the far end of the long table — stood and leaned over the table. "Could you tell us more about those circumstances? Because if we're harbouring a criminal I think we should know about that."

"I'm not a criminal. Maybe a wanted fugitive, but not a criminal."

"Elaborate," Stoick demanded.

"When Astrid and I wanted to leave the town, I was arrested for deception and impostering. They accused me of only playing the part of… Drago's wife's son. I was charged with treason and thrown in the dungeons of Greuelorm for a good month before I could escape."

"What made Drago think you were an imposter?"

"I… don't exactly know, but I think my—my mother had something to to with it. She hadn't been a fan of us leaving. Blamed my wife for it and friend's of mine said she never even tried changing Drago's mind on my imprisonment or tried visiting me." Hiccup took a deep breath and swallowed his emotions regarding his mother down.

It really was better that his father didn't know it was him yet. Knowing about Valka and how she was collaborating with his enemy would destroy him. Hiccup couldn't excuse a great many of his mother's choices and action and he didn't want to even attempt to explain them to his father. Not just yet, at least.

"But," Hiccup continued, "it could also have been because of Trader Johann. We didn't know he is Drago's brother until recently. He could also have been the one planting those ideas in Drago's mind. Though, why, I don't know." Except that he did. He just couldn't explain that either without outing himself.

What a mess all this was.

"And how are we supposed to know this isn't all a big lie to infiltrate us and play into Drago's cards?" Hoark demanded to know. He had a sour look on his face and Hiccup couldn't help but feel that he and Spitelout would be the ones causing the most trouble for him.

Hiccup cleared his throat. One of his legs was restlessly bouncing up and down below the table. "I've lived with Drago Bludvist for five years. I already had Toothless — the Night Fury — as my companion back then. I had to hide him away because Drago would've either slain him for his trophy collection or taken him for his army. He made me go onto dragon hunts with him and made me kill entire flocks if they weren't suitable for his intentions. I love dragons and he made me kill innocent and harmless creatures just for the sake of it."

That made the Coucil whisper agitatedly; either because they thought no dragon was innocent and therefore deserved to die or because they could understand where he came from. Though, the latter was only Bucket and Mulch — the two most kind-hearted of the bunch before him.

"I can't count how often I came home covered from head to toe in blood and with the material for night terrors for the next year. Astrid can verify this."

The Council turned to his wife — who had been uncharacteristically quiet until now. "I do," she said. "It was… horrible seeing him like that." She shook her head as if to shake the memory of him kneeling on the bathroom floor, scrubbing the dark blood off him. She had told him how that sight had haunted her dreams, just as he had told her all of his own night terrors.

"And if that couldn't have made me hate Drago with everything I have, then that he sent his lackeys after my wife when I started defying his orders. He tried using her safety against me on more than one occasion."

"Good thing then tha' our dear Astrid is more capable in combat than many men," Gobber quipped.

"So you have worked for Bludvist in the past," the Chief said, probably replaying what Hiccup had just told them in his head.

"Unwillingly, yes," Hiccup said. "But I wouldn't do it again."

"Ye say that now, but how can ye be so sure about that?" Spitelout quipped. Hiccup opened his mouth to once again repeat what he'd just told the council about his time with Drago, but Snotlout was faster.

"Oh my Thor," the stocky young man said, "Would you open your ears and _listen_? He just said that this Drago Bludvist is a manipulative asshole with no fucking decency. Who'd willingly go back to _that_?"

Hiccup couldn't agree more with his cousin. "You forgot abusive and evil."

"What about your mother?", Stoick asked. "Would she be a motivation for you to go back to Drago?"

"No."

About a dozen eyebrows raised simultaneously at that.

"Are ye sure about that, lad?" Stoick asked.

Hiccup swallowed, but nodded. "I'm positive." He opened his mouth to say more on the matter, but didn't know what without giving away too much about himself or Valka. Stoick didn't know even one of them were alive; accidentally learning that _both_ his wife _and_ his son were — in fact — still alive would be… a lot to handle, to say the least.

Gobber had already been overwhelmed with those news. Only the gods knew how the Chief would handle it all.

Hiccup was well aware that he couldn't hide forever. Nor did he want to. He longed to reunite with his father properly. But as of now, he was still more afraid of possibly loosing more than he would gain by coming clean. And an interrogation by the whole council of Berk wasn't the place, nor the time to do so either.

So he just had to check his tone and chose his words carefully.

For the majority of the interrogation, Hoark and Spitelout were the loudest voices speaking against him and questioning his every word. It even got to a point where Spitelout brought up the deadline the council had put on Astrid again and began taunting Hiccup that he had every intention of taking Astrid away from him. Hiccup bit his tongue so hard at that, he tasted blood. But gladly, he wasn't the only one fed up with his uncle's behaviour.

Snotlout banged his fist on the table and glared daggers at his father. "Astrid is not going to sign your stupid contracts!" he almost yelled.

"He's right," Astrid said, voice pressed and hands curled so tight they lost all colour. "I won't."

"Then ye'll be outcast," Hoark pointed out.

"Enough," Stoick said. But Spitelout barrelled on.

"The council voted, so ye either comply or suffer the consequences."

Hiccup swallowed his anger down, struggling to keep his voice even and not verbally lash out. "I'd really prefer you wouldn't keep speaking about forcing my wife to divorce me and marry another man against her will."

"Especially if said other man voted against all this crap," Snotlout added.

"Ye donae know what's best fer ye," Spitelout waved off his son."

"I said _enough_!" The Chief stood up and banged on the table, making it rattle and a couple tankards jumped up, sloshing ale and mead all over. "That vote happened under completely different circumstances and only because you somehow managed to find a loophole around my veto. And before we haven't reevaluated the situation and spoken about this further, I don't want to hear another word of your abhorrent papers and contracts, brother. Not. A single. Word." He stared down at Spitelout, jaw clenched. "Are we understood?"

Spitelout huffed and folded his arms across his chest, looking more like a moody child than the man second-in-command on Berk.

"I said," Stoick repeated with a little more force, "are we understood?"

"Yes," Spitelout eventually gritted out.

"Good." Stoick sat back down. He turned to Hiccup, head slightly inclined. "I must apologise for this. You may be considered an enemy of Berk until we've come to a conclusion, but that doesn't excuse my brothers disrespectful behaviour towards you and your wife."

Hiccup exchanged a quick glance with Astrid. She shrugged with one shoulder, but then continued glaring at Spitelout like she was planning his death already. Which she might very well be doing for all he knew. "Apology accepted. It's not like we haven't had to deal with shit like that before, anyway."

The interrogation continued on with all kinds of questions regarding his childhood and his time at the Bludvist manor. Hiccup didn't mention his occasional time in smithies or being at all skilled with metalwork; he'd be toying with too narrow a line there. So he just recounted the jobs he had done for Drago that were more on the line of things the heir of powerful man would do. Collecting taxes and tithes, executing Drago's rule when the need arose, keeping track of all kinds of paperwork. It was a lot different than what the Chiefs and heirs of the Archipelago were doing all day long.

"Drago owns the town and a lot of the villages surrounding it. Everyone owes him or lives on land bought _from_ him. He rules over them and makes profit from it," Hiccup explained when the looks of the council grew more and more confused. "He doesn't serve his people like a Chief does; the people serve _him_. It's disgusting."

"A king without a crown," one of the council men muttered.

"Not a king," Hiccup said, "a conqueror. He fell into lands along the Northern Seas and killed everyone trying to defy him."

"Did you help on those conquests?"

"No. He never took me with him on them; which I'm more than glad for. But my best friend hailed from one of the north-eastern settlements on the mainland. He was just a boy when his family was killed and Drago brought him to Greuelorm for his own army."

Stoick stroked his flaming beard. "So many of his army are people from lands he conquered. Men whose family have been killed by Drago."

"Yes. But more than enough are partaking willingly and those who are not are all under threat that even more of their people will be killed should they disobey. Drago isn't foolish enough to conscript men without having leverage over them."

"Does he have any more leverage over you?" Mulch asked.

Hiccup wanted to firmly shake his head. He really did.

Valka was really no motivation for him to go back to Drago and possibly even help the man archive whatever sickening goals he had in mind. But that didn't mean his mother couldn't be used against him at all.

Or the well-being of entire populations, if he was being honest. There were so many factors to consider, variables to keep in mind with Drago.

"Not directly," Hiccup eventually answered. "There are many things Drago could use against me. But I would rather die than serve him or even help him in any form or way again."

Astrid beside him sucked in breath, her lips starting to soundlessly form his name.

But it was the truth.

He reached across the space between them and enfolded her hand in his. Squeezing it reassuringly.

"I do intend to do everything in my might to stop him, though, before it would ever come to that." He held his wife's gaze at that.

He had promised her a life away from Drago, a life of happiness and their own making. And he fully intended to honour that promise; to give her the life she and their child deserved. He would do his best to survive whatever hardship the gods may throw at him for that.

"So ye are on our side," Gobber concluded, waving his hooked arm about impatiently. Not that Gobber had needed any clarification on that front. He knew fully well on which side of this war to come Hiccup stood.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you for the past hour or so," Hiccup replied, letting just a tiny bit of his sarcasm leak through his tone. Sassing the Council that could easily decide over his fate was not something he was willing to bet his life on just yet. Keeping his tongue in check was difficult, but he did possess _some_ self-control.

Stoick nodded thoughtfully and looked around his Council. "I think we can all agree that this first part of the interrogation can come to a conclusion. If you could wait at the front of the Hall so we can discuss this?"

So Hiccup and Astrid got up from their seats and left the Council to it. Hiccup's hand were shaking again when they settled down at a table near the huge double—doors and the hushed voices of the men floated over to them in an inaudible hiss.

"You okay?" Astrid asked, her eyes searching his through the slits in the mask.

"'m fine," Hiccup said. "I think." He sighed and raised his hands to run them through his hair before realising his mask was in the way. He dropped them again with another sigh. "Just a bit much with—"

"I know." Astrid scooted closer to him on the bench and hugged him. Hiccup didn't waste time wrapping his arms around her, holding her close. "I think you're doing great so far," she mumbled against his neck.

Hiccup chuckled. "I think you might be a bit biased on that front, Milady." He appreciated her confidence, though. Slipping his mask up just enough, he pressed a kiss to her temple.

It wasn't before long that they were called back to the Council table. The booming voice of the Chief had cut through the chatter just a moment before, bringing the discussion to a close. Hiccup noticed that Spitelout and Hoark looked even more pissed and sulky than before. He couldn't help but wonder what they had said to have Stoick steaming at them. But at least the Chief's ire was directed at them and not him.

"We've come to a conclusion regarding your connection to Drago Bludvist," Snotlout spoke up, wavering just a little bit but clearly uncomfortable having to present the verdict. "We decided that you won't… pose a threat to Berk. At least not through Drago. You don't seem to harbour any sympathies for that man and I doubt Astrid would be willing to put up with you if she had any doubt that you did."

"Damn straight," Astrid muttered under her breath, but it was still loud enough for the Chief and those right next to him to hear. Snot shot her a quick grin while the Chief scowled at her interruption.

"That cleared," Stoick said, "we still need to discuss your sympathy to the dragons. I don't know where you grew up and what the situation with the beasts there is. But here on Berk, siding with them is considered one of the worst kinds of treachery. Putting dragons above mankind," Stoick scoffed. "Astrid already tried explaining it to us, but what she said didn't make it any less damning."

"Why don't you start off by telling us how you came about having a pet dragon," Bucket said, knocking against his preferred head-accessory. "I can understand domesticated animals like sheep or cats or dogs. But dragon?"

"Sounds like suicide just getting _near_ one without a weapon," Mulch added.

"Um," Hiccup said. "I… I would say getting near one _with_ a weapon is the suicidal option here. Dragon's aren't hostile creatures in nature. Actually, they are the opposite!" He wrung for words trying to explain to them what he had only ever explained by showing. And even then, his experience with that was limited to three people; Eret, Astrid and Heather.

"They seem pretty hostile when they fall into our village twice a week," Spitelout spat. "Or have ye already fergotten last night, boyo?"

Hiccup's brows dipped, though none of them were able to see his irritation. But his voice gave him away regardless. "No, I haven't. My wife was also out there fighting, if you remember. I would've helped too if it wasn't for my injury."

"You're a friend of dragons but you would go out to kill them?" Snotlout mocked, crossing his arms in fron to of his chest. "I find that hard to believe. You said you had nightmares from Drago forcing you to kill dragons. How would this have been any different?"

"Two things," Hiccup countered. "One, I wouldn't _kill_ them to drive them off. There are way more effective and safer ways to go about that. And two, Drago has made me kill helpless creatures, hatchlings, or weak dragons. He captured the healthy and strong ones for his own purposes. But killing dragons as a last resort to defend your homes and families is a different matter, in my opinion. It doesn't mean that I _like_ it. But I understand the reasoning behind it."

Gobber looked at him with a rather unreadable expression, head tilted ever so slightly to the side. "What other means of driving them off are there? They come in to steal or livestock no matter the cost in their own ranks. They seem pretty set on sealin' our food ta me."

Hiccup gnawed on his lip. That was something he had been thinking about a lot last night while all he could do was watch and pray that everyone made it out of the raid alive. "The way they behave during the raids doesn't fit with their usual, natural behaviour. And neither does the choice of livestock they steal. Yaks, sheep, and boars aren't part of their usual diet. Chicken only for a very few, but even then it isn't the major part. Dragons live on fish. And we are surrounded by a whole ocean full of it. So there must be a reason why they keep going for the big animals instead of the easily accessible ones."

"We already heard that from yer wife," Stoick said. "But right now, what can we do — in your opinion — to deal with them? Preferably something that would keep the majority of the villagers out of the fights."

Hiccup scratched his neck. He maybe should have prepared himself for questions like this. It wasn't that he hadn't anticipated the demand for immediate solutions. But it hadn't been his focus enough that he had actually come up with something. "I— I'm not really sure," he answered truthfully. "There are so many variables and things to consider. I've only been awake for one raid. I would need to survey the situation and study the dragons closely to give you something to go of on. I have a few theories, but nothing concrete that could actually help you already."

The council didn't seem too pleased with his answer.

"What kind of theories?" one of the men said.

"Um, like about their behaviour," Hiccup said. "I know that dragons don't generally take too kindly to being threatened with weapons. In my experience, they calm down significantly once you lay down your weapons. But I don't know if the dragons would react the same way during the raids. It they are under some kind of influence, just approaching them unarmed might not calm them down enough."

"You want to test out that theory?" scoffed Hoark. "Be our guest and try it out during the next raid. Maybe you'll even do us all a favour and get yourself eaten."

A round of laughter rang through the Council; laughter that only didn't reach three of the men on it. Hiccup was kind of surprised to find Snotlout one of those three, along with Gobber and Stoick. The three of them sported unamused expressions and Hiccup caught Snot throwing an apologetic look toward Astrid. As if he was solely responsible for the behaviour of the Council.

It was kind of shocking to see how much his cousin had changed over the years. Gone was the disrespectful bully with no regard for other people's feelings.

"Well," Hiccup said over the laughter. "If I get myself killed then I also won't be able to help you anymore. If you are so desperate to figure all this shit out by yourselves, then by all means," he did a swooping gesture. "I won't go out to test my theories, in that case, and instead watch that shipwreck from a safe distance. I'd really like to see you fight off Drago _and_ a bunch of wild dragons at the same time without any help at all."

Sassing them like that was a gamble and Hiccup regretted half the words the moment they were spoken, but Odin above did Hoark and Spitelout tug on his nerves.

"So you can help us with the raids?" Mulch asked, full of hope. The raids were taking their toll on everyone. "You can control that Night Fury, so you can bring the other dragons under your control as well, right?"

"Um…" How Mulch had drawn _that_ conclusion was way beyond him.

"Ye aren't seriously thinking about supporting this herecy," Spitelout barked. "This is madness. Stoick, ye must see that this is just gonna get us all killed."

"With the frequency of the raids lately, I doubt it would make any difference, Spitelout," the Chief said. "There's a war coming. And if letting this man help us keeps the Village safe and alive for a while longer, than so be it. But I won't watch any more of my people die when I possibly have a solution right in front of me."

"Ye've lost yer mind."

"No," Stoick said with a heaviness Hiccup hadn't heard from him before. "I'm just desperate. I don't like any of this, brother. Believe me, I don't. The dragons are the reason my wife and son are dead. I don't trust them one bit. But this man has the ability to communicate with the beasts, maybe even control them. If keeping the village safe means working with him rather than executing him, then I'm willing to do that. This isn't the time we can be picky with out options."

Hiccup had cast his eyes down at the table in front of him, studying the nicks and cuts in the wood. Marks from years and years of use.

Hearing his father's voice creak ever so slightly when speaking about his and Valka's death was breaking his heart, tying his throat up. It made eventually having to reveal the truth about _both_ supposed deaths even harder. Every minute he continued with his charade, the guilt weighed heavier on him.

"Sir," he said, "I can't control the dragons. Only a dragon of the Alpha species is able to have control over other dragons. All I can do is try to figure out why the dragons around here are acting the way they are acting. Maybe use Toothless to help drive them away when another raid hits. I haven't seen him act like those other dragons in years."

"But you can't guarantee it," Hoark said, a smug smile plastered on his scarred face. "And unless you can guarantee it, I say it's not worth it. What if your dragon goes crazy and starts shooting at us. We haven't had to deal with Night Furies in years and I have no desire to have one of those fuckers shooting up our defences again."

"I wouldn't let him attack the village even if he really somehow decided to go feral on me," Hiccup scowled.

"You just said you can't control dragons," Spitelout argued. "And all of a sudden you can control a Night Fury? I really find all of this very hard to belie—"

"I don't control them. But I have my methods of keeping them in check," Hiccup snapped. Spitelout and Hoark were tugging on his nerves worse than a bunch of bored Terrible Terrors. "But to keep them in check, I need to be near them. I can't do that from afar. And besides that, I know my dragon. He wouldn't just go feral on me for no reason."

"Chief," Astrid spoke up. She had silently observed this part of the interrogation so far. "I know this is all… a lot to accept. But we can really help. We would be able to form a line of defense from the raid before it even hits the village, take the blunt of the strike. But — if you let us — we could also figure out what causes the raids, find the origin of them."

There was a silence stretching out over the Council. At the far end of the long table, Gunnar Larson voiced what everyone else must be thinking.

"The nest."

The Chief had gone very still. Not just quiet, but like he was frozen in place just by the mention of the one place Vikings had been hunting for since they had settled in the Archipelago. That one place that had cost them countless ships and even more men to even get near Helheim's Gate.

"You can find the nest?" Stoick asked, not directed at Astrid who had brought it up, but looking directly at Hiccup. He even scooted forward as far at the table allowed him to and leaned across the distance, hands braced on the wood.

Hiccup rubbed his neck. "Probably. I wouldn't make any promises, though. And Toothless always avoids the general area of it like it something is out to kill him should he get too close."

"But in theory," the Chief pressed on, "you and your dragon could find the nest."

Hiccup's eyebrows dipped. "Sir, if you are implying whether I could show you the way to the nest, then my answer is no."

"See!" Spitelout pointed a finger at him. "He's only siding with the dragons, Stoick. I wouldn't trust him one bit."

Hiccup wished he could tell his uncle exactly where to shove his hostile opinions, but that would only get him so far as that Spitelout would be even more out for his hide.

"I'm not saying this because I'm siding with the dragons," he gritted out between clenched teeth. "Yes, I want to protect them; but don't you think the number of ships usually returning from such excursions versus the ones setting out is kinda indicative of the success rate of something like this?"

"Why you little snarky bastard—" Spitelout started, but Snotlout cut his father off.

"He's right, dad."

All eyes turned to the unwilling heir. Snotlout shrugged. "What? Only one or two ships ever return from those searches. I don't know how he knows that, but I'd say Astrid. We never even found the nest, but already we always loose good men. Now imagine facing a whole fucking _nest_ of dragons when we're already kinda overwhelmed by the raids. I say his argument is sound."

That sparked a loud discourse among the entire Council; some were for going for the nest anyway, no matter that Drago was on the horizon and all, the rest was for dealing with that once all the other problems they had at the moment were resolved. It was a loud mess and Hiccup didn't even attempt to throw any more at them.

Honestly, he wished to just go back to the small house he'd quickly come to think of as home. He wanted to take his stupid mask off and eat something and just lie down for a long while and reevaluate his entire life.

Astrid caught his hand and gave it a squeeze, exchanging a tortured look with him before longingly looking toward the double-doors. But they couldn't just get up and leave, sadly. This interrogation was going to decide whether he would be allowed to stay on Berk and with his wife or not. Not — in this case — most likely meaning either another dungeon which's inside he would get to know rather well or death. He had no illusion that Spitelout and Hoark were still vying for his execution.

"Enough!" Stoick called the Council back to order after the longest time of constant arguing and insults flying across the table. "I think we're done here for today. We still have a village to clean up."

With that, the Council was dismissed and the Chief send Gobber to escort Hiccup and Astrid back to their house. Hiccup got the feeling that he wouldn't know for a while whether the interrogation had gone well for him or not.

When he looked back over his shoulder before exiting the Hall, he saw his father slumped over the table, face in his hands and shoulders down like he way carrying the weight of the world on them. And in a way he was; he was responsible for an entire village that was under constant threat of attack from dragons. Berk was their whole world. A little world, admittedly, but it was all the people here had.

 _Please let me help you, dad_ , Hiccup thought. _And please let me have one place in midgard that I can truly call my home again. Please let my wife and my child have the life I promised them._

It was a lot to ask, he knew that. But he had try asking whichever god was listening to his pleas anyway.

=0=

Snotlout spend most of the day — after the interrogation of Astrid's husband was done and the Council disbanded — cleaning up the aftermath of the raid from the night before. It was mindless work; bringing the carcasses of the dead dragons out of the village, taking horns and teeth and other things from them that could be repurposed, washing all that blood off the streets, making sure no house that got scorched would collapse, and repairing or rebuilding what got burnt. The routine of all this was so deeply ingrained into his bones, he didn't have to look up to know that Fishlegs was right next to him, hauling parts of one of the dead dragons up to the cliffs. Tuffnut was behind them, doing the same. He didn't have to look down himself to know that he was covered in dark blood, smelling worse than death, and smudged with stuff he'd rather not know the origins of.

But the routine of it all also meant that he had more than enough brainpower to think about the interrogation this morning. Or more precisely, Horren Bludvist or whatever last name that man actually had.

Snotlout shouldn't have been surprised that the mysterious man had kept his ridiculous mask on, but he had been. Why, Snotlout didn't know. But he suspected that either Horren had grown more than just a little paranoid regarding his identity, or that there was some ugly disfiguration on his face that he'd rather no one saw. Maybe he'd ask Astrid what was up with that.

But the mask wasn't the only slightly unsettling thing about Astrid's husband. Something about him, maybe the way he talked, maybe the way he carried himself — Snotlout really wasn't sure _what_ it was — reminded him of someone.

Someone long dead but with an equally ridiculous name.

Snotlout didn't like thinking about his late cousin. There were too many bad memories surrounding it all, bad feelings. Mostly shame and regret on his side. And anger. So, so much anger.

Directed at himself as well as at Hiccup.

Snotlout pushed the though away, focussing instead on piling the carcasses neatly. Well, as neatly as piling carcasses of dragons could be. It actually wouldn't matter much. The whole of them would be set on fire later on today. As it had been custom to do with them after every raid that had been since the Vikings found out that dragon meat wasn't really edible.

The dragons took and took from them, but they couldn't even be hunted down as a food-source in return. It was a cruel reality the gods had bestowed upon them.

The yellow wing of a Deadly Nadder came into the field of his view and Snotlout did a double take. But the spots were green instead of purple-blue like the Nadder Astrid had introduced him to. Something like relief fell off his shoulders and he had to take a moment to gather himself under the pretence to catch his breath.

Had it really been Astrid's Nadder that was lying there among the other carcasses, Snotlout wouldn't have known how to break it to his friend. He shouldn't be feeling relief that a dragon hadn't found death at the blade of a Viking.

And yet he was.

It was a strange experience, feeling a hint of sympathy for the beasts that regularly fell into their village to steal their food.

Snotlout stared at the yellow Nadder wing for a moment longer, then turned abruptly and stormed back down to the village where more work awaited him. He pushed the Nadder from his mind forcefully.

Back to the interrogation it was, then. And with that, back to the man with the Night Fury.

Snotlout couldn't shake the sense of familiarity when he though about Horren. But apart from his dead cousin, no one came to mind that would fit with the man. Snotlout hadn't travelled enough that he could've met a younger version of the man on another island of the Archipelago. And he would've noticed a tall and slim man among the sailors visiting their harbour from time to time. There just wasn't anyone whose story fit and that Snotlout would've paid enough attention to that he would recognise him again by mannerisms and speech. It was headache-inducing.

It was just sheer impossible that the man at Astrid's side could be Hiccup. No way could that be the truth.

Hiccup had died six years ago, killed by a dragon in the forest just before he had been supposed to make his first kill. Snotlout had seen the tracks of his cousin retreating deep into the forest and over to Raven Point. Where the tracks had stopped, they had found the scales of a dragon. And a little farther away, the marks of one inhabiting the space for a while. There was no question what had happened to Hiccup the afternoon he had disappeared.

The dragon had taken him away like the livestock they stole from underneath their noses.

There was just no way the ghost of a long dead boy could be underneath that mask. No way. And Astrid would've said something already. That was something so big she wouldn't have kept it a secret.

Or at least, Snotlout hoped she wouldn't.

But regardless, Snotlout couldn't justify how his dead cousin should be in any way connected to Horren. There was just no logical explanation for it so it couldn't be true.

Maybe his head was just messing with him because of sleep-deprivation and too much stress. Yes, that must be it.

But then there was that Night Fury.

The Night Fury whose scales looked an awful lot like those they had found near Raven Point six years ago.

A cold shudder ran down his back as he entered the village again.

=0=

Heather clutched the note in her hand tightly as she slipped through the forest covering most of Berk.

Hiccup was awake and he was well, the note said. It was the sharp handwriting of the man in question and seeing alone that had let the weight on her shoulders decrease immediately. He and Astrid would be trying to get out to the Cove in the next couple of days, but so far the local healer had advised him to take it slow. A log walk in the forest and slipping down a muddy path to a hidden cove would not be good for his still healing injury.

Heather also suspected that Hiccup and Astrid would be enjoying the time to themselves. She had seen how miserable her friend had been during the time he had been separated from his wife. They would have a lot of catching up to do.

But still, Heather was anticipating their visit anxiously. She had also missed Astrid over the last weeks. They had so much to talk about, starting with clearing any secrets there were left. Though, maybe Hiccup had already informed Astrid about all that she had told him of her past. The true story. Not the made-up version she had worn for years in Greuelorm as her brother's spy. Heather regretted the time all of them had lost to secrecy. But she didn't regret hiding herself to stay safe. Greuelorm was an unforgiving place and secrets like hers and that of Hiccup and Astrid were better kept to oneself.

Heather slid off the path generations of Vikings had worn into the ground and stepped further into the forest, heading not yet for the Cove to tell Eret the good news. Instead, she walked a wide curve around the village from where she had retrieved the message from under the loose stone at Astrid's door. No one had heard her and no one had seen her in the ungodly hours of night where the only one awake was her and the poor soul keeping watch over the horizon.

She had gotten well acquainted with the geography of the island over the past couple days; walking to and from the Cove whenever she could be sure that there was no one else walking the island and scouting every inch closely. That sadly also meant she had missed Astrid when she and that Snotlout-guy had come to the cove just after Hiccup had been injured. But there were things she needed to take care of and the night had only so many hours.

The area the Kill Ring was located at was a remote distance from the village, only accessible over a long bridge that connected the main island to a large seastack. There were guards half-awake just at the beginning of that bridge and two more at the Arena itself. Heather knew because she made a habit of sneaking past them every night since she had figured out that Toothless was kept there.

Heather drew her cloak tighter around herself and blended into the shadows, moving silent as a ghost. The night was dark enough for her to not stand out against the bridge since the waning moon was covered by thick clouds. There would be another storm soon. Slipping by the slightly more awake guards by the Ring was just a little trickier.

She waited until they were looking the other way before she darted around the corner and to the back of the giant pit in the ground. The rope she carried with her for this exact purpose she tied around one of the metal fastenings of the net stretching over the Kill Ring and then lowered herself down and down, inch by inch until her feet touched the ground. Climbing back up was a hassle to do quietly, but she wanted to get Toothless that bag-full of fish Stormfly had fetched earlier that day. Or maybe it had been yesterday already. It was hard to differentiate where one day ended and the next one began in the dead middle of the night with barely any moon to reference. Time just blended together.

Like ever night before, she slipped into the one pen that was open. Not because someone had forgotten to close it, but because the dragon occupying it had not been very fond of being trapped in the dark all day long. Still, Toothless hadn't made any attempt as far as she knew to escape the prison all together. He just lay curled up in the pen and waited and waited and waited.

Heather couldn't talk to him without attracting the guards attention even over the sounds of the ocean. The stone-structure of Berk's Kill Ring made for great resonance of voices which wasn't what she needed if she wanted to stay hidden. A ghost in the night.

Toothless sniffed the air as she drew closer. He was always awake when she came. Either because the dragon forwent sleep entirely or because he was just so on alert that even the slightest change in the atmosphere tugged him out of it. Or perhaps it was just simply the distinct smell of fresh fish that got his attention.

Heather spent some time with the dragon just to make sure he would be alright and strong enough should they need him. She still didn't entirely trust the dragons as much as Hiccup did, but she did her best and that included looking after her friends pet dragon. At least she had stopped flinching whenever Stormfly or Toothless made sudden moves.

Later that night, Heather sneaked around the harbour of Berk. No one was there and she kept well out of sight of the watchman. Stealing a small boat and setting out would've been easy. Only that she didn't know how to sail nor did she know how to navigate the sea. She had grown up on an island as the farmer's foster-daughter, not the fisherman's. Viggo and Ryker also had never taken the time to teach her how to sail. She'd been their pretty little cousin that they could send to run unimportant errands. Except that she hadn't been their cousin.

She sighed as she stared across the dark waters of the ocean. At least like this she knew the direction she'd have to travel to get back home to her brother.

She missed Dagur. Outwardly, he was a lunatic that fully lived up to his name; Dagur the Deranged. But to her, he had always been caring and protective, the big brother everyone wished to have.

It had been way too long since she'd seen him last.

And it seemed like it would be still a little longer until she would see him again.

She left the harbour with tears down her cheeks that she didn't bother wiping away. No one could see her anyway and she wasn't ashamed to admit that she missed her brother. Only her small sobs did she chocked back.

The moon already hung low in the sky by the time she stumbled back down to the Cove. It was yet another long night that would be followed by a short day. Eret was deep asleep next to a dead fire, only hints of glimmering embers hidden within the ashes. Heather stacked up a couple new logs that she couldn't set fire to. It had been too long that she'd had to make one herself with just a bit of dried grass and flint stones. She could wake the sleeping Stormfly — curled up around Eret like he was her favourite toy — but Heather would rather not wake a sleeping dragon just to light a fire.

And the night wasn't that cold anyway.

Heather wrapped herself in furs and settled down as near to Eret as she dared. They weren't lovers anymore so she couldn't just go steal his body heat and intrude in his personal space. They were friends and that was that. Were he awake to offer, she'd accept. But she wouldn't just take without his permission.

And alas, Eret was a deep sleeper.

Heather regarded him in the waning moonlight behind thick clouds. He was only a hint of features, visible in completion only because her mind could easily fill in the blanks.

She couldn't deny that she missed their time together. They hadn't been a couple and she hadn't loved him. But he'd been there when she'd needed someone to get lost in. To loose herself with.

Of course, she had noticed that in the last months of their 'arrangement' Eret had been withdrawn and afterwards a frown and far-away look had always been predominant over his features. She had always suspected that he was far more interested in the male sex than he'd ever admitted aloud to her. She'd seen him get handsy with men when he was drunk or thinking she wasn't around. Heather knew fully well that Eret was rather flexible with his sexual attraction. What had come as a blow to the gut was that he did swing more towards men than women and that he still had continue bedding her even when his interests lay elsewhere. He'd been afraid of telling her and this lack of trust hurt the most.

Still, all of it had been… _something_ to process. But she had accepted his decision because he was right and both of them deserved to be happy.

And as of late, her definition of being happy tied closer and closer to returning to Berserk while Eret's seemed to be shaped like a stocky young man. Eret had told her about the guy Astrid had brought along when she'd come visit the Cove while Heather had been out scouting the perimeter. As Eret had described this Snotlout-guy, she's seen the twinkle in his eyes that meant that he was very much interested in getting to know someone better.

Heather just hoped her friend wouldn't loose himself in something that might never _be_ something.

As sleep finally dragged her under, Heather dreamed of a time when she could be by her brothers side again and those she loved were not only safe and sound from the threat of the south, but also living the life they wanted. She held onto the hope that this time would come eventually.

 **A/N:**

Sooo… it's been a lot later than I had anticipated that I would pop out another update. But things have been CRAZY and I think I'm kinda spiralling down right into yet another… well, not burn out, but something like that where I just can't even deal with myself. There's a lot of things stressing me out atm, and Uni application is just one of them. Work's a bitch. Getting up at unholy hours of the morning is sadly becoming the default lately and I'm _this short_ of planning the death of our neighbour for deciding it's a fucking genius plan to drive his stupid tractor up the road by my window at fucking 3am. And in doing so, he wakes up our damn cockatoo that already screams bloody murder most of the night anyway. So, what even is sleep? Definitely not something that's happening at night for me lately.

Sorry, I just really needed to vent for a moment or I'm gonna punch a hole in the wall. And here in Germany we have stone walls. Just so you know.

Also, little thing I wanted to say since it's june and june is pride month! Happy pride to all my fellow LGBTQIA+ peeps. You guys rock and if I could I would've formatted the whole fucking text bright rainbow. But sadly, doesn't support cool shit like that. When it came to LBGTQIA+ representation in this fic, I was _this short_ of making most everyone gay/bi/etc. Just all the love that ain't purely straight. A common theme in the fandom seems to be to make Heather a lesbian or at least bi. Well, I wanted to imply something a little different for her here. (And just so you know, Ruff will be real gay for her. So don't think I've forgotten f/f love. I haven't. It's beautiful. So you just wait.) That little passage where she monologues about not having been in love with Eret? I wanted to hint at her being aromantic. This will be explored further as the story progresses, but I just thought I tell ya'll right now. I think there isn't enough aro represetation in media. Aro/ace is getting more to the surface, but just aro peeps? Not so much. And as someone being on the aro spectrum myself I really, really, _really_ need some more representation because it took me SO LONG to realise that no, nothing's wrong with me, that's just the way I am and that is okay. So, just a little clarification right off the bat why there won't be any Heathlegs in this like many like to ship her. I just really wanted to put the focus on the value of platonic love and that you can be complete without romantic relationships. Of course, Tuffnut is also a good candidate for that — and a popular one at that — but he's representing the aro/ace peeps out there. And people who are solely aro need representation as well.

Representation in media is important. I think content creators need to be more mindful of not constantly falling back to the default — which sadly still is white, straight, cis(, male). There should be no default for sexuality, romanticity, gender-identity, ethnicity. Humans are a colourful and varied species and leaving out ANYONE just because people are too afraid to depict varied and REAL characters is something we should strive for to change. Inclusion and integration are key. And that starts in media and the people creating and consuming it.

You are all beautiful, you are all valid, and you are fucking perfect the way you are. Don't let anyone change you or mold you into something that you don't fit into. I love all of you and pray this world will grow some more in acceptance and integrity. Love is love, ya'll. I think everyone needs to be a little more queer and we'd all be a little happier and this world would be a little brighter. Not that there is anything wrong with being straight and cis; there isn't.

Alright, that's been way too long now. So I'mma go shut up now. I love you all so much; your support and continuing love for this story are more than anything I had ever dreamt of when starting this. And it's what still keeps me going. I hope you all have a fucking amazing pride month, and those of you who aren't part of the community, a wonderful june to all of you. *spews rainbow and throws glitter* See you in the next one! ;*


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